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Porous bismuth-based liquid metal as multifunctional material.
Ju Wang1,2,3, Yan Wang1,2,3, Yunlong Bai1,2,3
1State Key Laboratory of Cryogenic Science and Technology, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
Iscience
|June 1, 2026
Summary
Researchers developed lightweight porous bismuth alloys using a sugar-templating method. This creates advanced materials with tunable properties for load-bearing and electromagnetic applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Advanced Manufacturing
Background:
- Liquid metals offer potential for multifunctional materials.
- Gallium alloys have limitations (density, oxidation, leakage).
- Bismuth alloys present advantages (rigidity, heat-induced softening).
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop lightweight porous bismuth-based liquid alloys.
- To create materials with tailored pore structures and reduced weight.
- To preserve electrical conductivity and thermal response while adding functionality.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a sugar-sacrificial-templating strategy.
- Controlled sieved particle size of the sugar template for pore structure.
- Fabricated lightweight porous bismuth-based liquid alloys.
Main Results:
- Reduced original metal weight by over 50%.
- Preserved electrical conductivity and phase-change thermal response.
- Achieved tunable pore structures, electromagnetic shielding, and mass transport capabilities.
Conclusions:
- The sugar-templating method enables the creation of lightweight, multifunctional bismuth alloys.
- Pore network design influences stress concentration and electromagnetic wave scattering.
- The developed materials offer load-bearing capacity, mass delivery, and tunable electromagnetic protection.
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