Lightweight Soft Conductive Composites Embedded with Liquid Metal Fiber Networks

Liquid metal composites are promising soft conductors for applications in soft electronics, sensors, and soft robotics. Existing liquid metal composites usually have a high-volume fraction of liquid metal, which not only increases the density but also the material cost. Future applications in soft electronics and robotics highly demand liquid metal composites with low density and high conductivity for large-scale, low-cost, lightweight, and more sustainable applications. In this work, lightweight and highly conductive composites embedded with liquid metal fiber networks are synthesized. This new paradigm of liquid metal composites consists of an interconnected liquid metal fiber network embedded in a compliant rubber matrix. The liquid metal fiber network serves as an ultra-lightweight conductive pathway for electrons. Experiments indicate that this soft conductive composite also possesses nearly strain-insensitive conductance and superior cyclic stability. Potential applications of the composite films as stretchable interconnects, electrodes, and sensors are demonstrated.

Automated summary

Liquid metal composites embedded with a network of liquid metal fibers show promise as lightweight and highly conductive materials for stretchable interconnects, electrodes, and sensors in soft electronics and robotics.