Recent Development in Liquid Metal Materials

• Published in: ChemistryOpen (Weinheim) Vol. 10; no. 3; pp. 360 - 372
• Main Authors: He, Jinfeng, Liang, Shuting, Li, Fengjiao, Yang, Qiangbin, Huang, Mengjun, He, Yu, Fan, Xiaona, Wu, Meilin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.03.2021; John Wiley and Sons Inc; Wiley-VCH
• Subjects: 3-D printers; Aldehydes; Alloys; Casting; Catalysis; Composite materials; Elastomers; Electric contacts; electronic skin; Heat conductivity; Liquid metals; Liquid phases; Magnetism; Manufacturing; Medical equipment; Metals; Nanoparticles; Phase transitions; Polyesters; Polymer matrix composites; Polymers; printing technology; Review; Reviews; Rubber; self-healing processes; Skin; Three dimensional printing; Viscosity; electronic skin; liquid metals; printing technology; self-healing processes; composite materials
• ISSN: 2191-1363; 2191-1363
• DOI: 10.1002/open.202000330

Liquid metals (LM) have shown a very broad development prospect over the past decades. This review article focuses on the latest research dedicated to liquid metal materials and their applications in five significant areas: stretchable conductive composite, intelligent sensing electronic skin, catalysis, 3D printing material, and driving machines. The fabrication, specific properties and application of stretchable liquid metal‐polymer composites that can be used as self‐healing materials have been summarized. Liquid metal deposition printing technology, liquid phase 3D printing, suspension 3D printing technology, micro‐contact printing technology, and in vivo 3D printing molding technology have also been reviewed. Furthermore, the application of liquid metal catalyst in aldehyde reaction, photocatalysis, and electrocatalysis have been discussed. We have shown that electricity, magnetism, sound, light and heat could stimulate the movement of liquid metal. Through this comprehensive overview of the latest research, the main practical application, development, and mechanism of liquid metal were summarized and described. The future development of liquid metal technology was prospected, thus providing a strong basic research support for the further development of LM materials and their applications. The latest research on liquid metal materials and their application to a broad range of fields have been summarized. Particularly, the application of liquid metal materials to stretchable conductive composites, intelligent sensing electronic skin, catalysis, 3D printing materials, and driving machines has been reviewed.