Liquid Metal Droplets-Based Elastomers from Electric Toothbrush-Inspired Revolving Microfluidics

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Microfluidics
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Liquid metal (LM)-based elastomers are crucial for flexible electronics, requiring multifunctional materials with controllable properties.
• Existing methods for creating LM elastomers face challenges in morphology control, mechanical performance, and stability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel revolving microfluidic system for high-throughput generation of liquid metal droplets.
• To construct advanced liquid metal droplet-based elastomers with enhanced mechanical and electrical properties.
• To demonstrate the potential of these elastomers in flexible electronic applications.

Main Methods:

• A revolving microfluidic system with needles array and 3D channels was designed for liquid metal droplet generation.
• Liquid metal droplets were embedded within a poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) matrix.
• The dynamic exchangeable urea bond in the polymer matrix was utilized for self-healing properties.

Main Results:

• The microfluidic system enabled high-throughput, size-controllable generation of liquid metal droplets.
• The resulting liquid metal droplet-based elastomers exhibited high mechanical strength and stable electrical performance.
• Superior self-healing properties were achieved due to the polymer matrix's dynamic urea bonds.
• Patterned liquid metal droplet-based elastomers were easily fabricated, showcasing programmable features.

Conclusions:

• The proposed microfluidic system offers an efficient method for producing liquid metal droplet-based elastomers.
• These elastomers possess desirable properties for advanced flexible electronics, including mechanical robustness, electrical stability, and self-healing capabilities.
• The technology holds significant potential for future developments in the field of flexible electronics.