Emerging Applications of Liquid Metals Featuring Surface Oxides

作者：Michael D. Dickey · 发表于：ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces · 年份：2014 · DOI：10.1021/am5043017 · 被引用次数：714 · 研究领域：Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials、Gas Sensing Nanomaterials and Sensors、ZnO doping and properties

Gallium and several of its alloys are liquid metals at or near room temperature. Gallium has low toxicity, essentially no vapor pressure, and a low viscosity. Despite these desirable properties, applications calling for liquid metal often use toxic mercury because gallium forms a thin oxide layer on its surface. The oxide interferes with electrochemical measurements, alters the physicochemical properties of the surface, and changes the fluid dynamic behavior of the metal in a way that has, until recently, been considered a nuisance. Here, we show that this solid oxide "skin" enables many new applications for liquid metals including soft electrodes and sensors, functional microcomponents for microfluidic devices, self-healing circuits, shape-reconfigurable conductors, and stretchable antennas, wires, and interconnects.