1
|
Parker CJ, Zuraiqi K, Krishnamurthi V, Mayes EL, Vaillant PHA, Fatima SS, Matuszek K, Tang J, Kalantar-Zadeh K, Meftahi N, McConville CF, Elbourne A, Russo SP, Christofferson AJ, Chiang K, Daeneke T. Spontaneous Liquefaction of Solid Metal-Liquid Metal Interfaces in Colloidal Binary Alloys. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2400147. [PMID: 38704677 PMCID: PMC11234468 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202400147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
Crystallization of alloys from a molten state is a fundamental process underpinning metallurgy. Here the direct imaging of an intermetallic precipitation reaction at equilibrium in a liquid-metal environment is demonstrated. It is shown that the outer layers of a solidified intermetallic are surprisingly unstable to the depths of several nanometers, fluctuating between a crystalline and a liquid state. This effect, referred to herein as crystal interface liquefaction, is observed at remarkably low temperatures and results in highly unstable crystal interfaces at temperatures exceeding 200 K below the bulk melting point of the solid. In general, any liquefaction process would occur at or close to the formal melting point of a solid, thus differentiating the observed liquefaction phenomenon from other processes such as surface pre-melting or conventional bulk melting. Crystal interface liquefaction is observed in a variety of binary alloy systems and as such, the findings may impact the understanding of crystallization and solidification processes in metallic systems and alloys more generally.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caiden J Parker
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, 3001, Australia
| | - Karma Zuraiqi
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, 3001, Australia
| | | | - Edwin Lh Mayes
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, 3001, Australia
| | | | | | | | - Jianbo Tang
- School of Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, 2052, Australia
| | - Kourosh Kalantar-Zadeh
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, 2008, Australia
| | - Nastaran Meftahi
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science, School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, 3001, Australia
| | | | - Aaron Elbourne
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, 3001, Australia
| | - Salvy P Russo
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, 3001, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science, School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, 3001, Australia
| | - Andrew J Christofferson
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, 3001, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science, School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, 3001, Australia
| | - Ken Chiang
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, 3001, Australia
| | - Torben Daeneke
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, 3001, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Wang H, Yuan B, Zhu X, Shan X, Chen S, Ding W, Cao Y, Dong K, Zhang X, Guo R, Yao Y, Wang B, Tang J, Liu J. Multi-stimulus perception and visualization by an intelligent liquid metal-elastomer architecture. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadp5215. [PMID: 38787948 PMCID: PMC11122678 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adp5215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Multi-stimulus responsive soft materials with integrated functionalities are elementary blocks for building soft intelligent systems, but their rational design remains challenging. Here, we demonstrate an intelligent soft architecture sensitized by magnetized liquid metal droplets that are dispersed in a highly stretchable elastomer network. The supercooled liquid metal droplets serve as microscopic latent heat reservoirs, and their controllable solidification releases localized thermal energy/information flows for enabling programmable visualization and display. This allows the perception of a variety of information-encoded contact (mechanical pressing, stretching, and torsion) and noncontact (magnetic field) stimuli as well as the visualization of dynamic phase transition and stress evolution processes, via thermal and/or thermochromic imaging. The liquid metal-elastomer architecture offers a generic platform for designing soft intelligent sensing, display, and information encryption systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hongzhang Wang
- Institute of Materials Research, Center of Double Helix, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
| | - Bo Yuan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
- School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, P. R. China
| | - Xiyu Zhu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
| | - Xiaohui Shan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
| | - Sen Chen
- Key Laboratory for Intelligent Nano Materials and Devices of Ministry of Education, and Institute for Frontier Science, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, P. R. China
| | - Wenbo Ding
- Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, Institute of Data and Information, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, P. R. China
| | - Yingjie Cao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
| | - Kaichen Dong
- Institute of Materials Research, Center of Double Helix, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
- Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, Institute of Data and Information, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, P. R. China
| | - Xudong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Cryogenic Science and Technology, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
| | - Rui Guo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
| | - Yuchen Yao
- Key Laboratory of Cryogenic Science and Technology, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
| | - Bo Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
- School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, P. R. China
| | - Jianbo Tang
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Jing Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Cryogenic Science and Technology, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Nor-Azman NA, Ghasemian MB, Fuchs R, Liu L, Widjajana MS, Yu R, Chiu SH, Idrus-Saidi SA, Flores N, Chi Y, Tang J, Kalantar-Zadeh K. Mechanism behind the Controlled Generation of Liquid Metal Nanoparticles by Mechanical Agitation. ACS NANO 2024; 18:11139-11152. [PMID: 38620061 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c12638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
The size-controlled synthesis of liquid metal nanoparticles is necessary in a variety of applications. Sonication is a common method for breaking down bulk liquid metals into small particles, yet the influence of critical factors such as liquid metal composition has remained elusive. Our study employs high-speed imaging to unravel the mechanism of liquid metal particle formation during mechanical agitation. Gallium-based liquid metals, with and without secondary metals of bismuth, indium, and tin, are analyzed to observe the effect of cavitation and surface eruption during sonication and particle release. The impact of the secondary metal inclusion is investigated on liquid metals' surface tension, solution turbidity, and size distribution of the generated particles. Our work evidences that there is an inverse relationship between the surface tension and the ability of liquid metals to be broken down by sonication. We show that even for 0.22 at. % of bismuth in gallium, the surface tension is significantly decreased from 558 to 417 mN/m (measured in Milli-Q water), resulting in an enhanced particle generation rate: 3.6 times increase in turbidity and ∼43% reduction in the size of particles for bismuth in gallium liquid alloy compared to liquid gallium for the same sonication duration. The effect of particles' size on the photocatalysis of the annealed particles is also presented to show the applicability of the process in a proof-of-concept demonstration. This work contributes to a broader understanding of the synthesis of nanoparticles, with controlled size and characteristics, via mechanical agitation of liquid metals for diverse applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nur-Adania Nor-Azman
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Sydney, Darlington, NSW 2008, Australia
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Mohammad B Ghasemian
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Sydney, Darlington, NSW 2008, Australia
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Richard Fuchs
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Li Liu
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Sydney, Darlington, NSW 2008, Australia
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Moonika S Widjajana
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Sydney, Darlington, NSW 2008, Australia
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Ruohan Yu
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Shih-Hao Chiu
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Sydney, Darlington, NSW 2008, Australia
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Shuhada A Idrus-Saidi
- Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Johor Bahru, Johor 81310, Malaysia
- Centre of Lipids Engineering and Applied Research (CLEAR), Ibnu Sina Institute for Scientific and Industrial Research, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Johor Bahru, Johor 81310, Malaysia
| | - Nieves Flores
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Sydney, Darlington, NSW 2008, Australia
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Yuan Chi
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Jianbo Tang
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Kourosh Kalantar-Zadeh
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Sydney, Darlington, NSW 2008, Australia
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Kang SB, Huang G, Singhal G, Xie D, Hsieh DH, Lee Y, Kulkarni AA, Smith JW, Chen Q, Thornton K, Sinha S, Braun PV. Highly Ordered Eutectic Mesostructures via Template-Directed Solidification within Thermally Engineered Templates. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2308720. [PMID: 38189549 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202308720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Template-directed self-assembly of solidifying eutectics results in emergence of unique microstructures due to diffusion constraints and thermal gradients imposed by the template. Here, the importance of selecting the template material based on its conductivity to control heat transfer between the template and the solidifying eutectic, and thus the thermal gradients near the solidification front, is demonstrated. Simulations elucidate the relationship between the thermal properties of the eutectic and template and the resultant microstructure. The overarching finding is that templates with low thermal conductivities are generally advantageous for forming highly organized microstructures. When electrochemically porosified silicon pillars (thermal conductivity < 0.3 Wm-1K-1) are used as the template into which an AgCl-KCl eutectic is solidified, 99% of the unit cells in the solidified structure exhibit the same pattern. In contrast, when higher thermal conductivity crystalline silicon pillars (≈100 Wm-1K-1) are utilized, the expected pattern is only present in 50% of the unit cells. The thermally engineered template results in mesostructures with tunable optical properties and reflectances nearly identical to the simulated reflectances of perfect structures, indicating highly ordered patterns are formed over large areas. This work highlights the importance of controlling heat flows in template-directed self-assembly of eutectics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sung Bum Kang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Guanglong Huang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Gaurav Singhal
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Dajie Xie
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Daniel H Hsieh
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Youngmun Lee
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Ashish A Kulkarni
- Center for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973, USA
| | - John W Smith
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Qian Chen
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Katsuyo Thornton
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Sanjiv Sinha
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Paul V Braun
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Tong J, de Bruyn N, Alieva A, Legge EJ, Boyes M, Song X, Walisinghe AJ, Pollard AJ, Anderson MW, Vetter T, Melle-Franco M, Casiraghi C. Crystallization of molecular layers produced under confinement onto a surface. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2015. [PMID: 38443350 PMCID: PMC10914826 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45900-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
It is well known that molecules confined very close to a surface arrange into molecular layers. Because solid-liquid interfaces are ubiquitous in the chemical, biological and physical sciences, it is crucial to develop methods to easily access molecular layers and exploit their distinct properties by producing molecular layered crystals. Here we report a method based on crystallization in ultra-thin puddles enabled by gas blowing, which allows to produce molecular layered crystals with thickness down to the monolayer onto a surface, making them directly accessible for characterization and further processing. By selecting four molecules with different types of polymorphs, we observed exclusive crystallization of polymorphs with Van der Waals interlayer interactions, which have not been observed with traditional confinement methods. In conclusion, the gas blowing approach unveils the opportunity to perform materials chemistry under confinement onto a surface, enabling the formation of distinct crystals with selected polymorphism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jincheng Tong
- Department of Chemistry, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK.
| | - Nathan de Bruyn
- Department of Chemistry, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Adriana Alieva
- Department of Chemistry, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Elizabeth J Legge
- National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, Middlesex, TW11 0LW, UK
- Advanced Technology Institute, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7XH, UK
| | - Matthew Boyes
- Department of Chemistry, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Xiuju Song
- Department of Chemistry, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Alvin J Walisinghe
- Curtin Institute for Computation, School for Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, 6845, Australia
| | - Andrew J Pollard
- National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, Middlesex, TW11 0LW, UK
| | - Michael W Anderson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
- Curtin Institute for Computation, School for Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, 6845, Australia
| | - Thomas Vetter
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, M1 3AL, UK
| | - Manuel Melle-Franco
- CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, 3810-193, Portugal
| | - Cinzia Casiraghi
- Department of Chemistry, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Tang J, Christofferson AJ, Sun J, Zhai Q, Kumar PV, Yuwono JA, Tajik M, Meftahi N, Tang J, Dai L, Mao G, Russo SP, Kaner RB, Rahim MA, Kalantar-Zadeh K. Dynamic configurations of metallic atoms in the liquid state for selective propylene synthesis. NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY 2024; 19:306-310. [PMID: 37945988 DOI: 10.1038/s41565-023-01540-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
The use of liquid gallium as a solvent for catalytic reactions has enabled access to well-dispersed metal atoms configurations, leading to unique catalytic phenomena, including activation of neighbouring liquid atoms and mobility-induced activity enhancement. To gain mechanistic insights into liquid metal catalysts, here we introduce a GaSn0.029Ni0.023 liquid alloy for selective propylene synthesis from decane. Owing to their mobility, dispersed atoms in a Ga matrix generate configurations where interfacial Sn and Ni atoms allow for critical alignments of reactants and intermediates. Computational modelling, corroborated by experimental analyses, suggests a particular reaction mechanism by which Sn protrudes from the interface and an adjacent Ni, below the interfacial layer, aligns precisely with a decane molecule, facilitating propylene production. We then apply this reaction pathway to canola oil, attaining a propylene selectivity of ~94.5%. Our results offer a mechanistic interpretation of liquid metal catalysts with an eye to potential practical applications of this technology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Junma Tang
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
| | - Andrew J Christofferson
- School of Science, STEM College, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science, School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jing Sun
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Qingfeng Zhai
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Priyank V Kumar
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jodie A Yuwono
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Mohammad Tajik
- School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Nastaran Meftahi
- School of Science, STEM College, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science, School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jianbo Tang
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Liming Dai
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Guangzhao Mao
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Salvy P Russo
- School of Science, STEM College, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science, School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Richard B Kaner
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Md Arifur Rahim
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
| | - Kourosh Kalantar-Zadeh
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Lu G, Ni E, Jiang Y, Wu W, Li H. Room-Temperature Liquid Metals for Flexible Electronic Devices. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2304147. [PMID: 37875665 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202304147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
Room-temperature gallium-based liquid metals (RT-GaLMs) have garnered significant interest recently owing to their extraordinary combination of fluidity, conductivity, stretchability, self-healing performance, and biocompatibility. They are ideal materials for the manufacture of flexible electronics. By changing the composition and oxidation of RT-GaLMs, physicochemical characteristics of the liquid metal can be adjusted, especially the regulation of rheological, wetting, and adhesion properties. This review highlights the advancements in the liquid metals used in flexible electronics. Meanwhile related characteristics of RT-GaLMs and underlying principles governing their processing and applications for flexible electronics are elucidated. Finally, the diverse applications of RT-GaLMs in self-healing circuits, flexible sensors, energy harvesting devices, and epidermal electronics, are explored. Additionally, the challenges hindering the progress of RT-GaLMs are discussed, while proposing future research directions and potential applications in this emerging field. By presenting a concise and critical analysis, this paper contributes to the advancement of RT-GaLMs as an advanced material applicable for the new generation of flexible electronics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guixuan Lu
- Key Laboratory for Liquid-Solid Structural Evolution and Processing of Materials (Ministry of Education), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250061, China
| | - Erli Ni
- The Institute for Advanced Studies of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430072, China
| | - Yanyan Jiang
- Key Laboratory for Liquid-Solid Structural Evolution and Processing of Materials (Ministry of Education), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250061, China
| | - Weikang Wu
- Key Laboratory for Liquid-Solid Structural Evolution and Processing of Materials (Ministry of Education), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250061, China
| | - Hui Li
- Key Laboratory for Liquid-Solid Structural Evolution and Processing of Materials (Ministry of Education), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250061, China
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Xing Z, Zhang G, Gao J, Ye J, Zhou Z, Liu B, Yan X, Chen X, Guo M, Yue K, Li X, Wang Q, Liu J. Turing Instability of Liquid-Solid Metal Systems. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2309999. [PMID: 37931919 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202309999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
The classical Turing morphogenesis often occurs in nonmetallic solution systems due to the sole competition of reaction and diffusion processes. Here, this work conceives that gallium (Ga) based liquid metals (LMs) possess the ability to alloy, diffuse, and react with a range of solid metals (SMs) and thus should display Turing instability leading to a variety of nonequilibrium spatial concentration patterns. This work discloses a general mechanism for obtaining labyrinths, stripes, and spots-like stationary Turing patterns in the LM-SM reaction-diffusion systems (GaX-Y), taking the gallium indium alloy and silver substrate (GaIn-Ag) system as a proof of concept. It is only when Ga atoms diffuse over Y much faster than X while X reacts with Y preferentially, that Turing instability occurs. In such a metallic system, Ga serves as an inhibitor and X as an activator. The dominant factors in tuning the patterning process include temperature and concentration. Intermetallic compounds contained in the Turing patterns and their competitive reactions have also been further clarified. This LM Turing instability mechanism opens many opportunities for constructing microstructure systems utilizing condensed matter to experimentally explore the general morphogenesis process.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zerong Xing
- Key Laboratory of Cryogenic Science and Technology, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Genpei Zhang
- School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China
- Shunde Graduate School of University of Science and Technology Beijing, Shunde, 528399, China
| | - Jianye Gao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Jiao Ye
- School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan, 430205, China
| | - Zhuquan Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Cryogenic Science and Technology, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- School of Engineering Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Biying Liu
- School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Materials and Interfacial Science, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Xiaotong Yan
- School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Xueqing Chen
- Key Laboratory of Cryogenic Science and Technology, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Minghui Guo
- Key Laboratory of Cryogenic Science and Technology, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Kai Yue
- School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China
- Shunde Graduate School of University of Science and Technology Beijing, Shunde, 528399, China
| | - Xuanze Li
- Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Qian Wang
- Key Laboratory of Cryogenic Science and Technology, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Key Laboratory of Cryogenic Science and Technology, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Gao S, Yang Y, Falchevskaya AS, Vinogradov VV, Yuan B, Liu J, Sun X. Phase Transition Liquid Metal Enabled Emerging Biomedical Technologies and Applications. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023:e2306692. [PMID: 38145958 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202306692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
Phase change materials that can absorb or release large amounts of heat during phase transition, play a critical role in many important processes, including heat dissipation, thermal energy storage, and solar energy utilization. In general, phase change materials are usually encapsulated in passive modules to provide assurance for energy management. The shape and mechanical changes of these materials are greatly ignored. An emerging class of phase change materials, liquid metals (LMs) have attracted significant interest beyond thermal management, including in transformable robots, flexible electronics, soft actuators, and biomedicine. Interestingly, the melting point of LM is highly tunable around body temperature, allowing it to experience considerable stiffness change when interacting with human organisms during solid-liquid change, which brings about novel phenomena, applied technologies, and therapeutic methods, such as mechanical destruction of tumors, neural electrode implantation technique, and embolization therapy. This review focuses on the technology, regulation, and application of the phase change process along with diverse changes of LM to facilitate emerging biomedical applications based on the influences of mechanical stiffness change and versatile regulation strategies. Typical applications will also be categorized and summarized. Lastly, the advantages and challenges of using the unique and reversible process for biomedicine will be discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shang Gao
- School of Engineering Medicine, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Yaxiong Yang
- Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of Ministry of Education, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Aleksandra S Falchevskaya
- International Institute "Solution Chemistry of Advanced Materials and Technologies" (SCAMT), ITMO University, Saint Petersburg, 191002, Russia
| | - Vladimir V Vinogradov
- International Institute "Solution Chemistry of Advanced Materials and Technologies" (SCAMT), ITMO University, Saint Petersburg, 191002, Russia
| | - Bo Yuan
- School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Xuyang Sun
- School of Engineering Medicine, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Ulusel M, Dinçer O, Şahin O, Çınar-Aygün S. Solidification-Controlled Compartmentalization of Bismuth-Tin Colloidal Particles. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023. [PMID: 37897796 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c04345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/30/2023]
Abstract
Nucleation and growth are the main steps of microstructure formation. Nucleation occurs stochastically in a bulk material but can be controlled by introducing or removing catalytic sites, or creating local gradients. Such manipulations can already be implemented to bulk materials at a high level of sophistication but are still challenging on micrometer or smaller scales. Here, we explore the potential to transfer this vast knowledge in classical metallurgy to the fabrication of colloidal particles and report strategies to control phase distribution within a particle by adjusting its solidification conditions. Benefiting from the core-shell structure of liquid metals and the constrained volume of particles, we demonstrate that the same alloy particle can be transformed into a lamellar, composite, Janus, or striped particle by the felicitous choice of the phase separation process pathway. This methodology offers an unprecedented opportunity for the scalable production of compartmentalized particles in high yields that are currently limited to inherently unscalable methods.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mert Ulusel
- Dept. of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Middle East Technical University, Ankara 06800, Turkey
| | - Orçun Dinçer
- Dept. of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Middle East Technical University, Ankara 06800, Turkey
| | - Ozan Şahin
- Dept. of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Middle East Technical University, Ankara 06800, Turkey
| | - Simge Çınar-Aygün
- Dept. of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Middle East Technical University, Ankara 06800, Turkey
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Liang S, Yang J, Li F, Xie S, Song N, Hu L. Recent progress in liquid metal printing and its applications. RSC Adv 2023; 13:26650-26662. [PMID: 37681047 PMCID: PMC10481125 DOI: 10.1039/d3ra04356h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
This paper focuses on the latest research printing technology and broad application for flexible liquid metal (LM) materials. Through the newest template printing method, centrifugal force assisted method, pen lithography technology, and laser method, the precision of liquid metal printing on the devices was improved to 10 nm. The development of novel liquid metal inks, such as PVA-LM ink and ethanol/PDMS/LM double emulsion ink, have further enhanced the recovery, rapid printing, high conductivity, and strain resistance. At the same time, liquid metals also show promise in the application of biochemical sensors, photocatalysts, composite materials, driving machines, and electrode materials. Liquid metals have been applied to biomedical, pressure/gas, and electrochemical sensors. The sensitivity, biostability, and electrochemical performance of these LM sensors were improved rapidly. They could continue to be used in healthy respiratory, heartbeat monitoring, and dopamine detection. Meanwhile, the applications of liquid metal droplets in catalytic-assisted MoS2 deposition, catalytic growth of two-dimensional (2D) lamellar, catalytic free radical polymerization, catalytic hydrogen absorption/dehydrogenation, photo/electrocatalysis, and other fields were also summarized. Through improving liquid metal composites, magnetic, thermal, electrical, and tensile enhancement alloys, and shape memory alloys with excellent properties could also be prepared. Finally, the applications of liquid metal in micro-motors, intelligent robot feet, nanorobots, self-actuation, and electrode materials were also summarized. This paper comprehensively summarizes the practical application of liquid metals in different fields, which helps understand LMs development trends, and lays a foundation for subsequent research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shuting Liang
- College of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Environmental Materials & Remediation Technologies, Chongqing University of Arts and Sciences Chongqing 402160 PR China
- Key Laboratory of Intelligent Textile and Flexible Interconnection of Zhejiang Province Hangzhou 310018 China
| | - Jie Yang
- College of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Environmental Materials & Remediation Technologies, Chongqing University of Arts and Sciences Chongqing 402160 PR China
| | - Fengjiao Li
- Shenzhen Automotive Research Institute, Beijing Institute of Technology Shenzhen 518118 PR China
| | - Shunbi Xie
- College of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Environmental Materials & Remediation Technologies, Chongqing University of Arts and Sciences Chongqing 402160 PR China
| | - Na Song
- Department of Oncology, Chongqing Municipal Chinese Medicine Hospital Chongqing 400021 China
| | - Liang Hu
- Key Laboratory of Biomechanics and Mechanobiology, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University Beijing 100083 PR China
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Wei N, He L, Wu C, Lu D, Li R, Shi H, Lan H, Wen Y, He J, Long Y, Wang X, Zeng M, Fu L. Room-Temperature Magnetism in 2D MnGa 4 -H Induced by Hydrogen Insertion. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2210828. [PMID: 36896838 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202210828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
2D room-temperature magnetic materials are of great importance in future spintronic devices while only very few are reported. Herein, a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition approach is exploited to construct the 2D room-temperature magnetic MnGa4 -H single crystal with a thickness down to 2.2 nm. The employment of H2 plasma makes hydrogen atoms can be easily inserted into the MnGa4 lattice to modulate the atomic distance and charge state, thereby ferrimagnetism can be achieved without destroying the structural configuration. The as-obtained 2D MnGa4 -H crystal is high-quality, air-stable, and thermo-stable, demonstrating robust and stable room-temperature magnetism with a high Curie temperature above 620 K. This work enriches the 2D room-temperature magnetic family and opens up the possibility for the development of spintronic devices based on 2D magnetic alloys.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nan Wei
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, P. R. China
| | - Liangcheng He
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, P. R. China
| | - Changwei Wu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Nanobiomechanics, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, P. R. China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Electronic Functional Materials and Devices, Huizhou University, Huizhou, 516001, P. R. China
| | - Dabiao Lu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Ruohan Li
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, P. R. China
| | - Haiwen Shi
- The Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, P. R. China
| | - Haihui Lan
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, P. R. China
| | - Yao Wen
- Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro-and Nano-structures of Ministry of Education, and School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, P. R. China
| | - Jun He
- Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro-and Nano-structures of Ministry of Education, and School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, P. R. China
| | - Youwen Long
- Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Xiao Wang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Nanobiomechanics, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, P. R. China
| | - Mengqi Zeng
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, P. R. China
| | - Lei Fu
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, P. R. China
- The Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Zhou Z, Xing Z, Wang Q, Liu J. Electrochemical Oxidation to Fabricate Micro-Nano-Scale Surface Wrinkling of Liquid Metals. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2207327. [PMID: 36866492 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202207327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Constructing wrinkled structures on the surface of materials to obtain new functions has broad application prospects. Here a generalized method is reported to fabricate multi-scale and diverse-dimensional oxide wrinkles on liquid metal surfaces by an electrochemical anodization method. The oxide film on the surface of the liquid metal is successfully thickened to hundreds of nanometers by electrochemical anodization, and then the micro-wrinkles with height differences of several hundred nanometers are obtained by the growth stress. It is succeeded in altering the distribution of growth stress by changing the substrate geometry to induce different wrinkle morphologies, such as one-dimensional striped wrinkles and two-dimensional labyrinth wrinkles. Further, radial wrinkles are obtained under the hoop stress induced by the difference in surface tensions. These hierarchical wrinkles of different scales can exist on the liquid metal surface simultaneously. Surface wrinkles of liquid metal may have potential applications in the future for flexible electronics, sensors, displays, and so on.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhuquan Zhou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Cryogenics, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- School of Engineering Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Zerong Xing
- CAS Key Laboratory of Cryogenics, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Qian Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Cryogenics, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Jing Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Cryogenics, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Allioux FM, Merhebi S, Liu L, Centurion F, Abbasi R, Zhang C, Ireland J, Biazik JM, Mayyas M, Yang J, Mousavi M, Ghasemian MB, Tang J, Xie W, Rahim MA, Kalantar-Zadeh K. A liquid metal-polydopamine composite for cell culture and electro-stimulation. J Mater Chem B 2023; 11:3941-3950. [PMID: 37067358 DOI: 10.1039/d2tb02079c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
Gallium (Ga) is a low melting point metal in the liquid state in the biological environment which presents a unique combination of fluidity, softness, and metallic electrical and thermal properties. In this work, liquid Ga is proposed as a biocompatible electrode material for cell culture by electro-stimulation since the cytotoxicity of Ga is generally considered low and some Ga compounds have been reported to exhibit anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory activities. Complementarily, polydopamine (PDA) was coated on liquid Ga to increase the attachment capability of cells on the liquid Ga electrode and provide enhanced biocompatibility. The liquid Ga layer could be readily painted at room temperature on a solid inert substrate, followed by the formation of a nanoscale PDA coating layer resulting in a conformable and biocompatible composite electrode. The PDA layer was shown to coordinate with Ga3+, which is sourced from liquid Ga, providing electrical conductivity in the cell culture medium. The PDA-Ga3+ composite acted as a conductive substrate for advanced electro-stimulation for cell culture methods of representative animal fibroblasts. The cell proliferation was observed to increase by ∼143% as compared to a standard glass coverslip at a low potential of 0.1 V of direct coupling stimulation. This novel PDA-Ga3+ composite has potential applications in cell culture and regenerative medicine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francois-Marie Allioux
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Salma Merhebi
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Li Liu
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Franco Centurion
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Roozbeh Abbasi
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Chengchen Zhang
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Jake Ireland
- Electron Microscope Unit, Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Joanna M Biazik
- Electron Microscope Unit, Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Mohannad Mayyas
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Jiong Yang
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Maedehsadat Mousavi
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Mohammad B Ghasemian
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Jianbo Tang
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Wanjie Xie
- Evolution and Optics of Nanostructures Group, Department of Biology, University of Ghent, K. L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Md Arifur Rahim
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Kourosh Kalantar-Zadeh
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Guo X, Nguyen CK, Mazumder A, Wang Y, Syed N, Gaspera ED, Daeneke T, Walia S, Ippolito SJ, Sabri Y, Li Y, Zavabeti A. Gas sensors based on the oxide skin of liquid indium. NANOSCALE 2023; 15:4972-4981. [PMID: 36786287 DOI: 10.1039/d2nr05926f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Various non-stratified two-dimensional (2D) materials can be obtained from liquid metal surfaces that are not naturally accessible. Homogenous nucleation on atomically flat interfaces of liquid metals with air produces unprecedented high-quality oxide layers that can be transferred onto desired substrates. The atomically flat and large areas provide large surface-to-volume ratios ideal for sensing applications. Versatile crucial applications of the liquid metal-derived 2D oxides have been realized; however, their gas-sensing properties remain largely underexplored. The cubic In2O3 structure, which is nonlayered, can be formed as an ultrathin layer on the surface of liquid indium during the self-limiting Cabrera-Mott oxidation process in the air. The morphology, crystal structure, and band structure of the harvested 2D In2O3 nanosheets from liquid indium are characterized. Sensing capability toward several gases, both inorganic and organic, entailing NO2, O2, NH3, H2, H2S, CO, and Methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) are explored. A high ohmic resistance change of 1974% at 10 ppm, fast response, and recovery times are observed for NO2 at an optimum temperature of 200 °C. The sensing fundamentals are investigated for NO2, and its performances and cross-selectivity to different gases are analyzed. The NO2 sensing response from room temperature to 300 °C has been measured and discussed, and stability after 24 hours of continuous operation is presented. The results demonstrate liquid metal-derived 2D oxides as promising materials for gas sensing applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiangyang Guo
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia.
| | - Chung Kim Nguyen
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia.
| | - Aishani Mazumder
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia.
| | - Yichao Wang
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia.
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Victoria 3216, Australia
| | - Nitu Syed
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia.
- School of Physics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | | | - Torben Daeneke
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia.
| | - Sumeet Walia
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia.
| | - Samuel J Ippolito
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia.
| | - Ylias Sabri
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia.
| | - Yongxiang Li
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia.
| | - Ali Zavabeti
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia.
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Lambie S, Steenbergen KG, Gaston N. Dynamic Activation of Ga Sites by Pt Dopant in Low-Temperature Liquid-Metal Catalysts. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202219009. [PMID: 36807956 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202219009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023]
Abstract
Liquid GaPt catalysts with Pt concentrations as low as 1×10-4 atomic % have recently been identified as highly active for the oxidation of methanol and pyrogallol under mild reaction conditions. However, almost nothing is known about how liquid state catalysts support these significant improvements in activity. Here, ab initio molecular dynamics simulations are employed to examine GaPt catalysts in isolation and interacting with adsorbates. We find that persistent geometric features can exist in the liquid state, given the correct environment. We postulate that the Pt dopant may not be limited to direct involvement in catalysis of reactions, but rather that its presence can also enable Ga atoms to become catalytically active.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Lambie
- MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Department of Physics, University of Auckland, Private Bag, 92019, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Krista G Steenbergen
- MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Nicola Gaston
- MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Department of Physics, University of Auckland, Private Bag, 92019, Auckland, New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Idrus-Saidi SA, Tang J, Lambie S, Han J, Mayyas M, Ghasemian MB, Allioux FM, Cai S, Koshy P, Mostaghimi P, Steenbergen KG, Barnard AS, Daeneke T, Gaston N, Kalantar-Zadeh K. Liquid metal synthesis solvents for metallic crystals. Science 2022; 378:1118-1124. [PMID: 36480610 DOI: 10.1126/science.abm2731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
In nature, snowflake ice crystals arrange themselves into diverse symmetrical six-sided structures. We show an analogy of this when zinc (Zn) dissolves and crystallizes in liquid gallium (Ga). The low-melting-temperature Ga is used as a "metallic solvent" to synthesize a range of flake-like Zn crystals. We extract these metallic crystals from the liquid metal solvent by reducing its surface tension using a combination of electrocapillary modulation and vacuum filtration. The liquid metal-grown crystals feature high morphological diversity and persistent symmetry. The concept is expanded to other single and binary metal solutes and Ga-based solvents, with the growth mechanisms elucidated through ab initio simulation of interfacial stability. This strategy offers general routes for creating highly crystalline, shape-controlled metallic or multimetallic fine structures from liquid metal solvents.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shuhada A Idrus-Saidi
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Jianbo Tang
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Stephanie Lambie
- MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Department of Physics, University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
| | - Jialuo Han
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Mohannad Mayyas
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Mohammad B Ghasemian
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Francois-Marie Allioux
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Shengxiang Cai
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Pramod Koshy
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Peyman Mostaghimi
- School of Minerals and Energy Resources Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Krista G Steenbergen
- MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
| | - Amanda S Barnard
- School of Computing, Australian National University, Acton, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Torben Daeneke
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - Nicola Gaston
- MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Department of Physics, University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
| | - Kourosh Kalantar-Zadeh
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia.,School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Sydney, Darlington, NSW 2008, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
A self-healing electrocatalytic system via electrohydrodynamics induced evolution in liquid metal. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7625. [PMID: 36494429 PMCID: PMC9734151 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35416-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Catalytic deterioration during electrocatalytic processes is inevitable for conventional composite electrodes, which are prepared by depositing catalysts onto a rigid current collector. In contrast, metals that are liquid at near room temperature, liquid metals (LMs), are potential electrodes that are uniquely flexible and maneuverable, and whose fluidity may allow them to be more adaptive than rigid substrates. Here we demonstrate a self-healing electrocatalytic system for CO2 electroreduction using bismuth-containing Ga-based LM electrodes. Bi2O3 dispersed in the LM matrix experiences a series of electrohydrodynamic-induced structural changes when exposed to a tunable potential and finally transforms into catalytic bismuth, whose morphology can be controlled by the applied potential. The electrohydrodynamically-induced evolved electrode shows considerable electrocatalytic activity for CO2 reduction to formate. After deterioration of the electrocatalytic performance, the catalyst can be healed via simple mechanical stirring followed by in situ regeneration by applying a reducing potential. With this procedure, the electrode's original structure and catalytic activity are both recovered.
Collapse
|
19
|
Ball P. Squeezing the stripes. NATURE MATERIALS 2022; 21:1214. [PMID: 36284238 DOI: 10.1038/s41563-022-01394-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
|
20
|
Chaouiki A, In Han D, Ko YG. Computational molecular-level prediction of heterocyclic compound-metal surface interfacial behavior. J Colloid Interface Sci 2022; 622:452-468. [PMID: 35525147 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2022.04.106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
It is difficult to comprehensively understand the interfacial mechanism (IM) of the adsorption of corrosion inhibitors (CIs) on metal surfaces solely through experiments and electronic structure parameters of isolated molecules. To better understand the molecular-level IM of CIs, a combination of atomistic simulations and first-principles calculations was used to obtain reliable information on the adsorption nature and intermolecular interactions during the actual interfacial behavior. The IM and property changes of two synthesized heterocyclic sustainable-green CIs, namely 4-{[(5-nitrofuran-2-yl)methylene]amino}-5-propyl-4H-1,2,4-triazole-3-thiol (NFPT and 4-{[(5-nitrofuran-2-yl)methylene]amino}-4H-1,2,4-triazole-3-thiol (NFT), were investigated on the Fe(110) surface using first-principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The NFPT was preferentially adsorbed through a parallel configuration with a high interaction energy (-706.12 kJ·mol-1) compared to NFT, owing to stronger chemical bonds via S, N, and O atoms with the Fe surface. Additionally, the adsorbed NFPT film effectively inhibited Fe surface corrosion owing to the small diffusion coefficient of corrosive particles in the presence of NFPT. Subsequently, the anti-corrosion performance of both CIs was validated through electrochemical methods, surface analysis, and adsorption isotherm models. The observations suggest that the combination of modern computational perspectives could efficiently design and select the best CIs before their laboratory synthesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abdelkarim Chaouiki
- Materials Electrochemistry Group, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Republic of Korea
| | - Da In Han
- Materials Electrochemistry Group, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Gun Ko
- Materials Electrochemistry Group, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Yang X, Su G, Huang X, Liu J, Zhou T, Zhang X. Noncovalent Assembly Enabled Strong yet Tough Materials with Room-Temperature Malleability and Healability. ACS NANO 2022; 16:13002-13013. [PMID: 35929760 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c05518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The manufacturing of both metals and polymer materials strongly relies on melt processing at relatively high temperatures which needs complex shaping-cooling equipment, long molding time, and considerable energy consumption. Reducing the processing temperature to achieve room-temperature malleability is heavily desired for low-carbon demands but continues to be a great challenge. Here, we demonstrate a noncovalent assembly strategy to fabricate room-temperature malleable composites embedded by liquid metals with excellent toughness (105.88 MJ m-3, higher than most traditional plastics and metallic aluminum) and strong mechanical strength (35.49 MPa). The dissociation-reconstruction of supramolecular bonding interactions between assembled nanoparticles and polymer matrix allow the malleable composite with two interchangeable supramolecular states to achieve programming at room temperature stimulated by water vapor and give it self-healing ability (self-healing efficiency of ∼100%; the healed sample can lift about 52,300 times its own weight). Furthermore, the composite also exhibits metallic luster and prospective application in thermal dissipation. This strategy might be an efficient way for the development of a method for strong and tough materials structurally designed to achieve programming at moderate conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xin Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Polymer Research Institute of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, P.R. China
| | - Gehong Su
- College of Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an 625014, China
| | - Xin Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Polymer Research Institute of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, P.R. China
| | - Jize Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Polymer Research Institute of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, P.R. China
| | - Tao Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Polymer Research Institute of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, P.R. China
| | - Xinxing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Polymer Research Institute of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, P.R. China
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Shastri V, Talukder S, Roy K, Kumar P, Pratap R. Manipulating liquid metal flow for creating standalone structures with micro-and nano-scale features in a single step. NANOTECHNOLOGY 2022; 33:455301. [PMID: 35878592 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/ac83cc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Standalone structures with periodic surface undulations or ripples can be spontaneously created upon flowing a liquid metal, e.g. Ga, over a metallic film, e.g. Pt, Au, etc, through a complex 'wetting-reaction'-driven process. Due to the ability of 3-dimensional patterning at the small length scale in a single step, the liquid metal 'ripple' flow is a promising non-conventional patterning technique. Herein, we examine the effect of a few process parameters, such as distance away from the liquid reservoir, size of the liquid reservoir, and the geometry, thickness, and width of substrate metal film, on the nature of the ripple flow to produce finer patterns with feature sizes of ≤ 2μm. The height and the pitch of the pattern decrease with distance from the liquid reservoir and decrease in the reservoir volume. Furthermore, a decrease in the thickness and width of the substrate film also leads to a decrease in the height and pitch of the ripples. Finally, the application of an external electric field also controls the ripple patterns. By optimizing various parameters, standalone ripple structures of Ga with the height and pitch of ≤ 500 nm are created. As potential applications, the ripple patterns with micro-and nano-scopic features are demonstrated to produce a diffraction grating and a die for micro-stamping.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vijayendra Shastri
- Center for Nanoscience and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
| | - Santanu Talukder
- Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhopal 462066, India
| | - Kaustav Roy
- Center for Nanoscience and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
| | - Praveen Kumar
- Department of Materials Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
| | - Rudra Pratap
- Center for Nanoscience and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Kim S, Kim S, Hong K, Dickey MD, Park S. Liquid-Metal-Coated Magnetic Particles toward Writable, Nonwettable, Stretchable Circuit Boards, and Directly Assembled Liquid Metal-Elastomer Conductors. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:37110-37119. [PMID: 35930688 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c07618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Liquid metal is a promising conductor material for producing soft and stretchable circuit "boards" that can enable next-generation electronics by electrically connecting and mechanically supporting electronic components. While liquid metal in general can be used to fabricate soft and stretchable circuits, magnetic liquid metal is appealing because it can be used for self-healing electronics and actuators by external magnetic fields. Liquid metal can be rendered into particles that can then be used for sensors and catalysts through sonication. We used this feature to produce "novel" conductive and magnetic particles. Mixing ferromagnetic iron particles into the liquid metal (gallium) produces conductive ferrofluids that can be rendered into gallium-coated iron particles by sonication. The gallium shell of the particles is extremely soft, while the rigid iron core can induce high friction in response to mechanical pressure; thus, hand-sintering of the particles can be used to directly write the conductive traces when the particles are cast as a film on elastic substrates. The surface topography of the particles can be manipulated by forming GaOOH crystals through sonication in DI water, thus resulting in nonwettable circuit boards. These gallium-coated iron particles dispersed in uncured elastomer can be assembled to form conductive microwires with the application of magnetic fields.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Seoyeon Kim
- Department of Polymer-Nano Science and Technology, Department of Nano Convergence Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Korea
| | - Sihyun Kim
- Department of Polymer-Nano Science and Technology, Department of Nano Convergence Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Korea
| | - Kyeongmin Hong
- Department of Polymer-Nano Science and Technology, Department of Nano Convergence Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Korea
| | - Michael D Dickey
- Department of Chemical Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, 911 Partners Way, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
| | - Sungjune Park
- Department of Polymer-Nano Science and Technology, Department of Nano Convergence Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Korea
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Guo R, Li T, Wu Z, Wan C, Niu J, Huo W, Yu H, Huang X. Thermal Transfer-Enabled Rapid Printing of Liquid Metal Circuits on Multiple Substrates. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:37028-37038. [PMID: 35938409 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c08743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Low-cost, rapid patterning of liquid metal on various substrates is a key processing step for liquid metal-based soft electronics. Current patterning methods rely on expensive equipment and specific substrates, which severely limit their widespread applications. Based on surface adhesion adjustment of liquid metal through thermal transferring toner patterns, we present a universal printing technique of liquid metal circuits. Without using any expensive processing steps or equipment, the circuit patterns can be printed quickly on thermal transfer paper using a desktop laser printer, and a toner on the thermal transfer paper can be transferred to various smooth substrates and polymer-coated rough substrates. The technique has yielded liquid metal circuits with a minimum linewidth of 50 μm fabricated on various smooth, rough, and three-dimensional substrates with complex morphology. The liquid metal circuits can maintain their functions even under an extreme strain of 800%. Various circuits such as LED arrays, multiple sensors, a flexible display, a heating circuit, a radiofrequency identification circuit, and a 12-lead electrocardiogram circuit on various substrates have been demonstrated, indicating the great potential of such a technique to rapidly achieve large-area flexible circuits for wearable health monitoring, internet of things, and consumer electronics at low cost and high efficiency.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rui Guo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tianjin University, 92 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Tianyu Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tianjin University, 92 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Ziyue Wu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tianjin University, 92 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Chunxue Wan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tianjin University, 92 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Jing Niu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tianjin University, 92 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Wenxing Huo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tianjin University, 92 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Haixia Yu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tianjin University, 92 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Xian Huang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tianjin University, 92 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300072, China
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Handschuh-Wang S, Gancarz T, Uporov S, Wang T, Gao E, Stadler FJ, Zhou X. A Short History on Fusible Metals and Alloys ‐ Towards Room Temperature Liquid Metals. Eur J Inorg Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ejic.202200313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Handschuh-Wang
- Shenzhen University Department of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering Xueyuan Rd., Xili, Nanshan District, 518055 Shenzhen CHINA
| | - Tomasz Gancarz
- Polish Academy of Sciences: Polska Akademia Nauk Institute of Metallurgy and Materials Science POLAND
| | - Sergey Uporov
- Russian Academy of Sciences Institute of Metallurgy RUSSIAN FEDERATION
| | - Tao Wang
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology Functional Thin Films Research Center CHINA
| | - Eryuan Gao
- Shenzhen Aerospace Dongfanghong Satellite Ltd Shenzhen Aerospace Dongfanghong Satellite. Ltd CHINA
| | | | - Xuechang Zhou
- Shenzhen University College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering CHINA
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Chi Y, Han J, Zheng J, Yang J, Cao Z, Ghasemian MB, Rahim MA, Kalantar-Zadeh K, Kumar P, Tang J. Insights into the Interfacial Contact and Charge Transport of Gas-Sensing Liquid Metal Marbles. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:30112-30123. [PMID: 35737904 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c06908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the interfacial contacts between liquid metals and substrate materials is becoming increasingly important for the fast-rising liquid metal-enabled technologies. However, for such technologies, probing the contact behavior and interfacial charge transport has remained challenging due to the deformable nature of liquid metals and the presence of the surface oxide layer. Here, we encapsulate eutectic gallium indium (EGaIn) micro-/nanodroplets with tungsten trioxide (WO3) nanoparticles to form a WO3/EGaIn liquid metal marble network, in which the interfacial contact of the intrinsically semiconducting WO3 governs the charge transport. We investigate the interfacial structures and charge transport characteristics under different contact conditions and various gaseous environments. The results suggest that establishing a WO3/EGaIn heterostructure leads to near-ohmic contact behaviors and also the emergence of localized surface plasmon resonance. Density functional theory calculations of the WO3/EGaIn interface support the experiments by revealing atomistic attractions between EGaIn alloy and the O atoms from WO3, resulting in a Fermi level shift. We also show that the efficient interfacial charge transport of the liquid metal marble network results in an enhanced gas-sensing response. This work paves the way for the possibility of studying other liquid metal/semiconductor contacts for applications in soft electronics and optics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Chi
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Jialuo Han
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Jiewei Zheng
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Jiong Yang
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Zhenbang Cao
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Mohammad B Ghasemian
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Md Arifur Rahim
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Kourosh Kalantar-Zadeh
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Priyank Kumar
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Jianbo Tang
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Wang F, Tian S, Yuan Q. Evaporation-induced crystal self-assembly (EICSA) of salt drops regulated by trace of polyacrylamide. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2022.128856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
|
28
|
Abstract
Insights into metal-matrix interactions in atomically dispersed catalytic systems are necessary to exploit the true catalytic activity of isolated metal atoms. Distinct from catalytic atoms spatially separated but immobile in a solid matrix, here we demonstrate that a trace amount of platinum naturally dissolved in liquid gallium can drive a range of catalytic reactions with enhanced kinetics at low temperature (318 to 343 K). Molecular simulations provide evidence that the platinum atoms remain in a liquid state in the gallium matrix without atomic segregation and activate the surrounding gallium atoms for catalysis. When used for electrochemical methanol oxidation, the surface platinum atoms in the gallium-platinum system exhibit an activity of [Formula: see text] three orders of magnitude higher than existing solid platinum catalysts. Such a liquid catalyst system, with a dynamic interface, sets a foundation for future exploration of high-throughput catalysis.
Collapse
|
29
|
Liang S, Li J, Li F, Hu L, Chen W, Yang C. Flexible Tactile Sensing Microfibers Based On Liquid Metals. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:12891-12899. [PMID: 35474773 PMCID: PMC9025990 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c00098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
High-performance and intelligent fibers are indispensable parts of wearable electronics in the future. This work mainly demonstrates the preparation of flexible intelligent liquid metal (LM) fibers with three core-sheath structures. An ultra-thin (10-50 μm), conductive, and highly flexible LM was deposited on the fiber core [carbon/polyethylene terephthalate (C/PET)--150-500 μm] along the fiber direction and then deposited on a polymer-protective layer [polyvinyl alcohol/epoxy resin (PVA/EP)--10 μm]. Four kinds of LM intelligent fibers were manufactured, including the C-LM-PVA fiber, C-LM-EP fiber, PET-LM-PVA fiber, and PET-LM-EP fiber. These LM intelligent fibers (diameter, 150-600 μm) were demonstrated with a high conductivity of 7.839 × 104 S·m-1. The changes in resistance in different torsion directions were measured, and these smart LM fibers could also be used as electrical heaters or thermoelectric generators, which released heat (36-36.9 °C/1-1.5 V) into the environment. Then, these multifunctional LM fibers were applied as high-performance strain sensors and bending sensors. These flexible LM conductive fibers could be successfully utilized in intelligent wearable fabrics and were expected to be widely utilized in artificial muscle and sensor fields.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shuting Liang
- College
of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Chongqing University of Arts and Sciences, Chongqing 402160, PR China
- Chongqing
Key Laboratory of Environmental Materials & Remediation Technologies, Chongqing University of Arts and Sciences, Chongqing 402160, PR China
| | - Jie Li
- College
of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Chongqing University of Arts and Sciences, Chongqing 402160, PR China
| | - Fengjiao Li
- Shenzhen
Automotive Research Institute, Beijing Institute
of Technology, Shenzhen 518118, PR China
| | - Liang Hu
- Key
Laboratory of Biomechanics and Mechanobiology, Ministry of Education
Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School
of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100083, PR China
| | - Wei Chen
- College
of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Chongqing University of Arts and Sciences, Chongqing 402160, PR China
| | - Chao Yang
- College
of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Chongqing University of Arts and Sciences, Chongqing 402160, PR China
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Shastri V, Talukder S, Roy K, Kumar P, Pratap R. Spontaneous Formation of Structures with Micro- and Nano-Scopic Periodic Ripple Patterns. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:12111-12119. [PMID: 35449943 PMCID: PMC9016874 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c00364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
We report the first study on the formation of structures with micro- and nano-scopic periodic surface patterns created by the spontaneous flow of liquid metal over thin metallic solid films. Minute details of the flow of liquid gallium over gold are captured in situ at very high magnifications using a scanning electron microscope, and a series of experiments and microstructural characterization are performed to understand the underlying principles of the liquid flow and the pattern formation. This phenomenon is solely driven by wetting, with little influence of gravity, and is aided by a tenacious semi-solidus envelope of the intermetallic compound formed due to the reaction between the liquid metal and the metallic substrate. This complex flow creates highly periodic patterns with features ranging from hundreds of nanometers to tens of micrometers, which can be tuned a priori. We propose a model capturing the essential mechanics of the ripple formation and apply it to simulate the formation of a single ripple, along with its essential asymmetry, that forms the basis for generating the observed patterns.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vijayendra Shastri
- Center
for Nanoscience and Engineering, Indian
Institute of Science, CV Raman Road, Bangalore 560012, India
| | - Santanu Talukder
- Department
of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhauri, Bhopal 462066, India
| | - Kaustav Roy
- Center
for Nanoscience and Engineering, Indian
Institute of Science, CV Raman Road, Bangalore 560012, India
| | - Praveen Kumar
- Department
of Materials Engineering, Indian Institute
of Science, CV Raman
Road, Bangalore 560012, India
| | - Rudra Pratap
- Center
for Nanoscience and Engineering, Indian
Institute of Science, CV Raman Road, Bangalore 560012, India
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Allioux FM, Ghasemian MB, Xie W, O'Mullane AP, Daeneke T, Dickey MD, Kalantar-Zadeh K. Applications of liquid metals in nanotechnology. NANOSCALE HORIZONS 2022; 7:141-167. [PMID: 34982812 DOI: 10.1039/d1nh00594d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Post-transition liquid metals (LMs) offer new opportunities for accessing exciting dynamics for nanomaterials. As entities with free electrons and ions as well as fluidity, LM-based nanomaterials are fundamentally different from their solid counterparts. The low melting points of most post-transition metals (less than 330 °C) allow for the formation of nanodroplets from bulk metal melts under mild mechanical and chemical conditions. At the nanoscale, these liquid state nanodroplets simultaneously offer high electrical and thermal conductivities, tunable reactivities and useful physicochemical properties. They also offer specific alloying and dealloying conditions for the formation of multi-elemental liquid based nanoalloys or the synthesis of engineered solid nanomaterials. To date, while only a few nanosized LM materials have been investigated, extraordinary properties have been observed for such systems. Multi-elemental nanoalloys have shown controllable homogeneous or heterogeneous core and surface compositions with interfacial ordering at the nanoscale. The interactions and synergies of nanosized LMs with polymeric, inorganic and bio-materials have also resulted in new compounds. This review highlights recent progress and future directions for the synthesis and applications of post-transition LMs and their alloys. The review presents the unique properties of these LM nanodroplets for developing functional materials for electronics, sensors, catalysts, energy systems, and nanomedicine and biomedical applications, as well as other functional systems engineered at the nanoscale.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francois-Marie Allioux
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
| | - Mohammad B Ghasemian
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
| | - Wanjie Xie
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
| | - Anthony P O'Mullane
- School of Chemistry and Physics, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia
| | - Torben Daeneke
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3001, Australia
| | - Michael D Dickey
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, 911 Partners Way, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Kourosh Kalantar-Zadeh
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Tang J, Tang J, Mayyas M, Ghasemian MB, Sun J, Rahim MA, Yang J, Han J, Lawes DJ, Jalili R, Daeneke T, Saborio MG, Cao Z, Echeverria CA, Allioux FM, Zavabeti A, Hamilton J, Mitchell V, O'Mullane AP, Kaner RB, Esrafilzadeh D, Dickey MD, Kalantar-Zadeh K. Liquid-Metal-Enabled Mechanical-Energy-Induced CO 2 Conversion. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2022; 34:e2105789. [PMID: 34613649 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202105789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
A green carbon capture and conversion technology offering scalability and economic viability for mitigating CO2 emissions is reported. The technology uses suspensions of gallium liquid metal to reduce CO2 into carbonaceous solid products and O2 at near room temperature. The nonpolar nature of the liquid gallium interface allows the solid products to instantaneously exfoliate, hence keeping active sites accessible. The solid co-contributor of silver-gallium rods ensures a cyclic sustainable process. The overall process relies on mechanical energy as the input, which drives nano-dimensional triboelectrochemical reactions. When a gallium/silver fluoride mix at 7:1 mass ratio is employed to create the reaction material, 92% efficiency is obtained at a remarkably low input energy of 230 kWh (excluding the energy used for dissolving CO2 ) for the capture and conversion of a tonne of CO2 . This green technology presents an economical solution for CO2 emissions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Junma Tang
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Jianbo Tang
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Mohannad Mayyas
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Mohammad B Ghasemian
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Jing Sun
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Md Arifur Rahim
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Jiong Yang
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Jialuo Han
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Douglas J Lawes
- Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Rouhollah Jalili
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Torben Daeneke
- School of Engineering, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), Melbourne, VIC, 3001, Australia
| | - Maricruz G Saborio
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Zhenbang Cao
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Claudia A Echeverria
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Francois-Marie Allioux
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Ali Zavabeti
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | | | | | - Anthony P O'Mullane
- School of Chemistry and Physics, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD, 4001, Australia
| | - Richard B Kaner
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Dorna Esrafilzadeh
- Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Michael D Dickey
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Kourosh Kalantar-Zadeh
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Xin Y, Gao T, Xu J, Zhang J, Wu D. Transient Electrically Driven Stiffness-Changing Materials from Liquid Metal Polymer Composites. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:50392-50400. [PMID: 34649421 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c15718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Stiffness-changing materials (SCMs) have received lots of interests due to their reversible transition between their soft and rigid states for modern applications. However, the irreversible stiffness transition, slow response, and sustained external stimuli strictly hinder the broad utilizations of SCMs. Here, this work reports electrically driven SCMs based on supercooled liquid metals (LMs). A small voltage (5 V) can successfully initiate the stable and reversible stiffness change of the SCMs in electrolyte solution. Surprisingly, the LM-based SCMs (LM-SCMs) exhibited a significant change in 1000 times difference of moduli (65 kPa versus 79 MPa). Moreover, such a stiffness transition of the LM-SCM was ultrarapidly completed in a few seconds (<30 s). Importantly, after transient stimulation of LM nucleation, the rigidity of the LM-SCM could be maintained when the external stimulus (voltage) was removed, highly different from previously reported SCMs that require sustained energy to maintain their mechanical states. Based on the unique features of LM-SCMs, advanced robotics like smart valves and mechanical paws in seawater were successfully fabricated.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yumeng Xin
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, PR China
- Jiangsu Hi-Tech Key Laboratory for Biomedical Research, 211189 Nanjing, PR China
| | - Tenglong Gao
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, PR China
- Jiangsu Hi-Tech Key Laboratory for Biomedical Research, 211189 Nanjing, PR China
| | - Jun Xu
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414, United States
| | - Jiuyang Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, PR China
- Jiangsu Hi-Tech Key Laboratory for Biomedical Research, 211189 Nanjing, PR China
| | - Dongfang Wu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, PR China
- Jiangsu Hi-Tech Key Laboratory for Biomedical Research, 211189 Nanjing, PR China
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Ghasemian MB, Zavabeti A, Mousavi M, Murdoch BJ, Christofferson AJ, Meftahi N, Tang J, Han J, Jalili R, Allioux FM, Mayyas M, Chen Z, Elbourne A, McConville CF, Russo SP, Ringer S, Kalantar-Zadeh K. Doping Process of 2D Materials Based on the Selective Migration of Dopants to the Interface of Liquid Metals. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2021; 33:e2104793. [PMID: 34510605 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202104793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The introduction of trace impurities within the doping processes of semiconductors is still a technological challenge for the electronics industries. By taking advantage of the selective enrichment of liquid metal interfaces, and harvesting the doped metal oxide semiconductor layers, the complexity of the process can be mitigated and a high degree of control over the outcomes can be achieved. Here, a mechanism of natural filtering for the preparation of doped 2D semiconducting sheets based on the different migration tendencies of metallic elements in the bulk competing for enriching the interfaces is proposed. As a model, liquid metal alloys with different weight ratios of Sn and Bi in the bulk are employed for harvesting Bi2 O3 -doped SnO nanosheets. In this model, Sn shows a much stronger tendency than Bi to occupy surface sites of the Bi-Sn alloys, even at the very high concentrations of Bi in the bulk. This provides the opportunity for creating SnO 2D sheets with tightly controlled Bi2 O3 dopants. By way of example, it is demonstrated how such nanosheets could be made selective to both reducing and oxidizing environmental gases. The process demonstrated here offers significant opportunities for future synthesis and fabrication processes in the electronics industries.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad B Ghasemian
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
| | - Ali Zavabeti
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3001, Australia
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Maedehsadat Mousavi
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
| | - Billy J Murdoch
- RMIT Microscopy and Microanalysis Facility, STEM College, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3001, Australia
| | | | - Nastaran Meftahi
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science, School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000, Australia
| | - Jianbo Tang
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
| | - Jialuo Han
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
| | - Rouhollah Jalili
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
| | - Francois-Marie Allioux
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
| | - Mohannad Mayyas
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
| | - Zibin Chen
- School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Aaron Elbourne
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3001, Australia
| | - Chris F McConville
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3001, Australia
- Institute for Frontier Materials, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, 3216, Australia
| | - Salvy P Russo
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science, School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000, Australia
| | - Simon Ringer
- School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
- Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Kourosh Kalantar-Zadeh
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Liu H, Xin Y, Bisoyi HK, Peng Y, Zhang J, Li Q. Stimuli-Driven Insulator-Conductor Transition in a Flexible Polymer Composite Enabled by Biphasic Liquid Metal. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2021; 33:e2104634. [PMID: 34541730 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202104634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Metal-polymer composites (MPCs) with combined properties of metals and polymers have achieved much industrial success. However, metals in MPCs are thought to be ordinary and invariable electrically conductive fillers in supportive polymers to show limited use in modern technologies. This work that is disclosed here, for the first time, introduces stimuli-driven transition from biphasic to monophasic state of liquid metal into polymer science to form dynamic soft conductors from the binary metal-polymer composites. The binary metal that exhibits temperature-driven reversible transition between solid and liquid states via a biphasic state is fabricated. A conducting stretchable polymer composite is developed using the judiciously chosen biphasic binary metal that undergoes conductor to insulator transition upon stretching. Insulating stretched films become conducting upon heating. A "tube" model elegantly describes such distinctive deformation/temperature-dependent behaviors. Moreover, the conducting polymer composite shows decrease in its resistance upon increasing the sample temperature. The resistance can be tuned from 1 to 108 Ω depending on the state of binary metal in the phase diagram. This work would build the intimate and interesting connection between metal phases and polymer science toward next-generation soft conductors and beyond.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huaizhi Liu
- Institute of Advanced Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, and Jiangsu Hi-Tech Key Laboratory for Biomedical Research, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China
| | - Yumeng Xin
- Institute of Advanced Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, and Jiangsu Hi-Tech Key Laboratory for Biomedical Research, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China
| | - Hari Krishna Bisoyi
- Advanced Materials and Liquid Crystal Institute and Chemical Physics Interdisciplinary Program, Kent State University, Kent, OH, 44242, USA
| | - Yan Peng
- Institute of Advanced Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, and Jiangsu Hi-Tech Key Laboratory for Biomedical Research, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China
| | - Jiuyang Zhang
- Institute of Advanced Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, and Jiangsu Hi-Tech Key Laboratory for Biomedical Research, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China
| | - Quan Li
- Institute of Advanced Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, and Jiangsu Hi-Tech Key Laboratory for Biomedical Research, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China
- Advanced Materials and Liquid Crystal Institute and Chemical Physics Interdisciplinary Program, Kent State University, Kent, OH, 44242, USA
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Allioux FM, Han J, Tang J, Merhebi S, Cai S, Tang J, Abbasi R, Centurion F, Mousavi M, Zhang C, Xie W, Mayyas M, Rahim MA, Ghasemian MB, Kalantar-Zadeh K. Nanotip Formation from Liquid Metals for Soft Electronic Junctions. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:43247-43257. [PMID: 34459601 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c11213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Liquid metals and alloys with high-aspect-ratio nanodimensional features are highly sought-after for emerging electronic applications. However, high surface tension, water-like fluidity, and the existence of self-limiting oxides confer specific peculiarities to their characteristics. Here, we introduce a high accuracy nanometric three-dimensional pulling and stretching method to fabricate liquid-metal-based nanotips from room- or near-room-temperature gallium-based alloys. The pulling rate and step size were controlled with a resolution of up to 10 nm and yielded different nanotip morphologies and lengths as a function of the base liquid metal alloy composition and the pulling parameters. The obtained nanotips presented high aspect ratios over lengths of a few microns and apexes between 10 and 100 nm. The liquid metal alloys were found confined within nanotips with about 10 nm apexes when vertically pulled at 100 nm/s. An amorphous gallium oxide skin was shown to cover the surface of the nanotips, while the liquid core was composed of the initial liquid metal alloys. The electrical contact established at the nanotips was characterized under dynamic conditions. The liquid metal nanotips showed an Ohmic resistance when a continuous liquid metal channel was formed, and a controllable semiconductor state corresponding to a heterojunction formed at the junction between the liquid metal phase and the gallium oxide semiconductor skin. The variable threshold voltages of the heterojunction were controlled via stretching of the nanotips with a 10 nm step resolution. The liquid metal nanotips were also used for establishing soft electronic junctions. This novel method of liquid metal nanotip fabrication with Ohmic and semiconducting behaviors will lead to exciting avenues for developing electronic and sensing devices.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francois-Marie Allioux
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Jialuo Han
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Jianbo Tang
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Salma Merhebi
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Shengxiang Cai
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Junma Tang
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Roozbeh Abbasi
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Franco Centurion
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Maedehsadat Mousavi
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Chengchen Zhang
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Wanjie Xie
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Mohannad Mayyas
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Md Arifur Rahim
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Mohammad B Ghasemian
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Kourosh Kalantar-Zadeh
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Yunusa M, Adaka A, Aghakhani A, Shahsavan H, Guo Y, Alapan Y, Jákli A, Sitti M. Liquid Crystal Structure of Supercooled Liquid Gallium and Eutectic Gallium-Indium. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2021; 33:e2104807. [PMID: 34337803 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202104807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the origin of structural ordering in supercooled liquid gallium (Ga) has been a great scientific quest in the past decades. Here, reflective polarized optical microscopy on Ga sandwiched between glasses treated with rubbed polymers reveals the onset of an anisotropic reflection at 120 °C that increases on cooling and persists down to room temperature or below. The polymer rubbing usually aligns the director of thermotropic liquid crystals (LCs) parallel to the rubbing direction. On the other hand, when Ga is sandwiched between substrates that align conventional LC molecules normal to the surface, the reflection is isotropic, but mechanical shear force induces anisotropic reflection that relaxes in seconds. Such alignment effects and shear-induced realignment are typical to conventional thermotropic LCs and indicate a LC structure of liquid Ga. Specifically, Ga textures obtained by atomic force and scanning electron microscopy reveal the existence of a lamellar structure corresponding to a smectic LC phase, while the nanometer-thin lamellar structure is transparent under transmission polarized optical microscopy. Such spatial molecular arrangements may be attributed to dimer molecular entities in the supercooled liquid Ga. The LC structure observation of electrically conductive liquid Ga can provide new opportunities in materials science and LC applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Yunusa
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Heisenbergstrasse 3, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Alex Adaka
- Materials Science Graduate Program, Advanced Materials and Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH, 44242, USA
| | - Amirreza Aghakhani
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Heisenbergstrasse 3, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Hamed Shahsavan
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Heisenbergstrasse 3, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Yubing Guo
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Heisenbergstrasse 3, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Yunus Alapan
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Heisenbergstrasse 3, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Antal Jákli
- Materials Science Graduate Program, Advanced Materials and Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH, 44242, USA
- Department of Physics, Kent State University, Kent, OH, 44242, USA
| | - Metin Sitti
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Heisenbergstrasse 3, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, 8092, Switzerland
- School of Medicine and College of Engineering, Koç University, Istanbul, 34450, Turkey
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Lu H, Yun G, Cole T, Ouyang Y, Ren H, Shu J, Zhang Y, Zhang S, Dickey MD, Li W, Tang SY. Reversible Underwater Adhesion for Soft Robotic Feet by Leveraging Electrochemically Tunable Liquid Metal Interfaces. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:37904-37914. [PMID: 34319083 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c09776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Soft crawling robots have potential applications for surveillance, rescue, and detection in complex environments. Despite this, most existing soft crawling robots either use nonadjustable feet to passively induce asymmetry in friction to actuate or are only capable of moving on surfaces with specific designs. Thus, robots often lack the ability to move along arbitrary directions in a two-dimensional (2D) plane or in unpredictable environments such as wet surfaces. Here, leveraging the electrochemically tunable interfaces of liquid metal, we report the development of liquid metal smart feet (LMSF) that enable electrical control of friction for achieving versatile actuation of prismatic crawling robots on wet slippery surfaces. The functionality of the LMSF is examined on crawling robots with soft or rigid actuators. Parameters that affect the performance of the LMSF are investigated. The robots with the LMSF prove capable of actuating across different surfaces in various solutions. Demonstration of 2D locomotion of crawling robots along arbitrary directions validates the versatility and reliability of the LMSF, suggesting broad utility in the development of advanced soft robotic systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hongda Lu
- School of Mechanical, Materials, Mechatronic and Biomedical Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Guolin Yun
- School of Mechanical, Materials, Mechatronic and Biomedical Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Tim Cole
- Department of Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, U.K
| | - Yiming Ouyang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Hongtai Ren
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Jian Shu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Yuxin Zhang
- Department of Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, U.K
| | - Shiwu Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Michael D Dickey
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
| | - Weihua Li
- School of Mechanical, Materials, Mechatronic and Biomedical Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Shi-Yang Tang
- Department of Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, U.K
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Fu JH, Cui YT, Qin P, Gao J, Ye J, Liu J. Hydrochromic Visualization of a Keggin-Type Structure Triggered by Metallic Fluids for Liquid Displays, Reversible Writing, and Acidic Environment Detection. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:36445-36454. [PMID: 34309380 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c07506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Hydrochromic visualization of a liquid interface shows vital potential applications in liquid displays, reversible writing, and acidic environmental detection, which offers a platform for detection and forewarning due to its intuitive and visual characteristics. Herein, we report a hydrochromic display due to the interfacial effect of liquid metal (LM)-triggered ammonium metatungstate (AMT) with instant dual-mode color switching. The double-electron-transfer reaction of the AMT on the surface of gallium-based LM caused the formation of heteropoly blue in the presence of acidic surroundings, resulting in a reversible color switching from being colorless to blue or blue to colorless. This visual interfacial discoloration phenomenon can be applied to the liquid display on diverse patterns of the LM surface. Furthermore, papers with a functional display were prepared, which can be used for writing up to eight times with dual-mode color switching. In addition, the reactive activity of acid triggering make it a potential candidate for use in visualizing an acidic environment with a detection range of pH = 1 to 0 (0.1-1.5 M). Briefly, this interfacial discoloration phenomenon enriches the interfacial engineering of LM and provides a unique prospective and wide-range platform for the application of LM.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Heng Fu
- Beijing Key Lab of CryoBiomedical Engineering and Key Lab of Cryogenics, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yun-Tao Cui
- Beijing Key Lab of CryoBiomedical Engineering and Key Lab of Cryogenics, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Peng Qin
- Beijing Key Lab of CryoBiomedical Engineering and Key Lab of Cryogenics, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jianye Gao
- Beijing Key Lab of CryoBiomedical Engineering and Key Lab of Cryogenics, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- School of Engineering Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jiao Ye
- Beijing Key Lab of CryoBiomedical Engineering and Key Lab of Cryogenics, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Beijing Key Lab of CryoBiomedical Engineering and Key Lab of Cryogenics, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Lambie S, Steenbergen KG, Gaston N. A mechanistic understanding of surface Bi enrichment in dilute GaBi systems. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2021; 23:14383-14390. [PMID: 34180476 DOI: 10.1039/d1cp01540k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Experiment has shown that dilute GaBi systems produce a range of self-organised nanostructured patterns at the surface [Tang et al., Nat. Nanotechnol., 2021, 16, 431-439]. Using extensive ab initio molecular dynamics simulations, we elucidate the mechanisms underlying the formation of the Bi surface islands in Bi-doped Ga liquid metals. Here, we show that in order for internal Bi atoms to diffuse to the surface a lateral extension of the Ga surface network is required. Furthermore, the absence of surface Bi patterning perturbs the Ga surface network providing a preferred path for an internal Bi to diffuse. By understanding how and why Bi nucleates at a surface, we increase the ability to control, manipulate and design such systems for use in future electronic devices.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Lambie
- MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Department of Physics, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand.
| | - Krista G Steenbergen
- MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
| | - Nicola Gaston
- MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Department of Physics, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand.
| |
Collapse
|