Journal
ADVANCED MATERIALS TECHNOLOGIES
Volume 7, Issue 6, Pages -Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1002/admt.202101178
Keywords
eutectic gallium-indium alloy; eGaIn; intense pulsed light; photonic sintering; flexible electronics
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Funding
- Air Force Research Laboratory [FA8650-15-2-5518]
- MRSEC program of the National Science Foundation at the Materials Research Center of Northwestern University [DMR-1720139]
- SHyNE Resource [NSF ECCS-2025633]
- Northwestern MRSEC program [NSF DMR-1720139]
- IIN
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The study demonstrates ultrafast photonic sintering of eGaIn nanoparticles for producing thin films with electrical conductivities exceeding 10(4) S cm(-1). This combustion-assisted photonic sintering (CAPS) is two orders of magnitude faster than previously demonstrated noncontact sintering techniques, potentially facilitating high-throughput additive manufacturing of flexible and wearable electronics.
Liquid metals are ideally suited for flexible and wearable electronics due to their compatibility with additive manufacturing and high electrical conductivity that is maintained following mechanical perturbation. While printing of eutectic gallium-indium (eGaIn) liquid metal nanoparticles has been demonstrated, previous techniques for activating electrical conductivity in the as-printed insulating eGaIn nanoparticles limit throughput in roll-to-roll manufacturing processes. Here, ultrafast photonic sintering of eGaIn nanoparticles is demonstrated, which is further enhanced through the use of nitrocellulose as a carrier polymer that undergoes optically triggered combustion to produce eGaIn thin films with electrical conductivities exceeding 10(4) S cm(-1). This combustion-assisted photonic sintering (CAPS) is two orders of magnitude faster than previously demonstrated noncontact sintering techniques. By circumventing the established tradeoff between electrical conductivity and activation speed, CAPS will facilitate the use of eGaIn liquid metal nanoparticles in high-throughput additive manufacturing of flexible and wearable electronics, sensors, and related technologies.
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