Shaping a Soft Future: Patterning Liquid Metals

This review highlights the unique techniques for patterning liquid metals containing gallium (e.g., eutectic gallium indium, EGaIn). These techniques are enabled by two unique attributes of these liquids relative to solid metals: 1) The fluidity of the metal allows it to be injected, sprayed, and generally dispensed. 2) The solid native oxide shell allows the metal to adhere to surfaces and be shaped in ways that would normally be prohibited due to surface tension. The ability to shape liquid metals into non-spherical structures such as wires, antennas, and electrodes can enable fluidic metallic conductors for stretchable electronics, soft robotics, e-skins, and wearables. The key properties of these metals with a focus on methods to pattern liquid metals into soft or stretchable devices are summari.

Automated summary

This review highlights the unique techniques for patterning liquid metals, such as eutectic gallium indium (EGaIn). These techniques take advantage of the fluidity and ability to adhere to surfaces of liquid metals, which allows them to be shaped into non-spherical structures. This enables the development of fluidic metallic conductors for stretchable electronics, soft robotics, e-skins, and wearables. The key properties and patterning methods of these metals are summarized in this article.