With inkjet technology to be liquid metal used as conductors on soft surfaces.
A completely new type of soft robots may become possible with elastic electronics made of liquid metal alloys that are printed with inkjet printers.
- But before soft robots can become a reality, new manufacturing methods developed, says Rebecca Kramer at Purdue University.
– We plan to develop flexible electronics that is useful with soft machines such as robots to get through tight spaces or portable technology that is not sensitive to motion, she says. Leaders made of liquid metal can be stretched and bent without breaking.
An interesting manufacturing is the production of inkjet printing.
– With this technology, it becomes possible to print flexible conductors on any surface, such as rubber and textiles, says Kramer.
In the nowadays of the scientific journal Advanced Materials, published April 18, researchers describe a method called mechanical sintered gallium-indium nanoparticles.
The printable ink is prepared by dissolving the liquid metal in a non-metallic solution using ultrasonic, which breaks down the material of the nanoparticles. This nanoparticle-filled ink is useful in inkjet printers.
The solution consists of ethanol to evaporate the liquid metallic nanoparticles remain on the surface.
After this spraying the nanoparticles must be linked, because they are covered by oxidized gallium, which acts as insulator. However, the oxide is so fragile that it breaks at the slightest touch. In this way it is also possible to determine which components should be activated as a leader. A molded surface can thus be activated for different purposes.
Researchers will also examine how nanoparticles oriented on both hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces and how the particles are affected when put under pressure, something that would make technology useful for the production of sensors.
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