Gallium-based liquid metals are emerging as multifunctional advanced materials, especially in the field of flexible and soft electronics, due to their high electrical conductivity and excellent fluidity at room temperature. Intensive research on the physical and chemical properties of liquid metals has been carried out to advance our knowledge of these materials. In addition, various strategies for fabricating liquid metal-based electronics have been developed, including LM patterning, surface modification, and assembly of multiple materials for flexible electronics and multi-use devices. In recent years, liquid metal-based electronics have been used for soft electronics and devices for biomedical applications such as biomedical sensors for physiological monitoring. With the increasing demand for wearable and implantable bioelectronics and devices with high tissue compliance, biocompatibility, compact size, and high efficiency, liquid metal can play an important and unique role in bioelectronic applications.
Liquid metal-based soft electronics and devices have intrinsic advantages such as high electrical and thermal conductivity with fluidity, which has been extended in the exploration of soft and flexible bioelectronics such as biomedical sensors, wearable electronics, and devices. However, there are still major challenges, especially in terms of chemical instability, leakage, and resolution for electronic applications. In addition, manufacturing techniques for more complex devices and electronics are still in demand.
To address these issues, efforts have been made in recent years in various areas ranging from physicochemical properties to biomedical applications. For example, to modify the rheological properties of liquid metals so they can be used in mass production techniques such as screen and 3D printing, alloys or composite materials are being studied and fabricated. 3D printing techniques are also being developed to fabricate complex structures from liquid metals. For biomedical studies, the combination with biocompatible soft materials such as hydrogels and elastomers is used. Further studies can explore other biomedical applications for liquid metal-based electronics and devices, such as physical and chemical sensing and stimulation. Moreover, it is worthwhile to explore the fundamental properties of liquid metals in combination with other materials, especially with regard to multifunctional materials and precise, high-resolution and complex structure fabrication.
This Research Topic invites different kinds of contributions (e.g., Original Research, Review, Case report, Empirical study, and Opinion). The summarized topics are listed below:
- Liquid metal composite materials
- Physicochemical properties of liquid metals
- Liquid metal-based material pattern and structure fabrication
- Soft and flexible electronics and devices
- Biomedical sensing, actuation, and stimulation
- Electrochemical characterization and sensing
- Interfacial properties of liquid metals
Gallium-based liquid metals are emerging as multifunctional advanced materials, especially in the field of flexible and soft electronics, due to their high electrical conductivity and excellent fluidity at room temperature. Intensive research on the physical and chemical properties of liquid metals has been carried out to advance our knowledge of these materials. In addition, various strategies for fabricating liquid metal-based electronics have been developed, including LM patterning, surface modification, and assembly of multiple materials for flexible electronics and multi-use devices. In recent years, liquid metal-based electronics have been used for soft electronics and devices for biomedical applications such as biomedical sensors for physiological monitoring. With the increasing demand for wearable and implantable bioelectronics and devices with high tissue compliance, biocompatibility, compact size, and high efficiency, liquid metal can play an important and unique role in bioelectronic applications.
Liquid metal-based soft electronics and devices have intrinsic advantages such as high electrical and thermal conductivity with fluidity, which has been extended in the exploration of soft and flexible bioelectronics such as biomedical sensors, wearable electronics, and devices. However, there are still major challenges, especially in terms of chemical instability, leakage, and resolution for electronic applications. In addition, manufacturing techniques for more complex devices and electronics are still in demand.
To address these issues, efforts have been made in recent years in various areas ranging from physicochemical properties to biomedical applications. For example, to modify the rheological properties of liquid metals so they can be used in mass production techniques such as screen and 3D printing, alloys or composite materials are being studied and fabricated. 3D printing techniques are also being developed to fabricate complex structures from liquid metals. For biomedical studies, the combination with biocompatible soft materials such as hydrogels and elastomers is used. Further studies can explore other biomedical applications for liquid metal-based electronics and devices, such as physical and chemical sensing and stimulation. Moreover, it is worthwhile to explore the fundamental properties of liquid metals in combination with other materials, especially with regard to multifunctional materials and precise, high-resolution and complex structure fabrication.
This Research Topic invites different kinds of contributions (e.g., Original Research, Review, Case report, Empirical study, and Opinion). The summarized topics are listed below:
- Liquid metal composite materials
- Physicochemical properties of liquid metals
- Liquid metal-based material pattern and structure fabrication
- Soft and flexible electronics and devices
- Biomedical sensing, actuation, and stimulation
- Electrochemical characterization and sensing
- Interfacial properties of liquid metals