Towards High Efficiency and Rapid Production of Room-Temperature Liquid Metal Wires Compatible with Electronic Prototyping Connectors
We present in this work new methodologies to produce, refine, and interconnect room-temperature liquid-metal-core thermoplastic elastomer wires that have extreme extendibility (>500%), low production time and cost at scale, and may be integrated into commonly used electrical prototyping connector...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-12-01
|
| Series: | Micromachines |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/14/12/2227 |
| _version_ | 1797379979636375552 |
|---|---|
| author | Luka Morita Shima Jalali Abolfazl Vaheb Rawan Elsersawy Kunj Golwala Asad Asad Patricia I. Dolez James D. Hogan Mohammad Abu Hasan Khondoker Dan Sameoto |
| author_facet | Luka Morita Shima Jalali Abolfazl Vaheb Rawan Elsersawy Kunj Golwala Asad Asad Patricia I. Dolez James D. Hogan Mohammad Abu Hasan Khondoker Dan Sameoto |
| author_sort | Luka Morita |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We present in this work new methodologies to produce, refine, and interconnect room-temperature liquid-metal-core thermoplastic elastomer wires that have extreme extendibility (>500%), low production time and cost at scale, and may be integrated into commonly used electrical prototyping connectors like a Japan Solderless Terminal (JST) or Dupont connectors. Rather than focus on the development of a specific device, the aim of this work is to demonstrate strategies and processes necessary to achieve scalable production of liquid-metal-enabled electronics and address several key challenges that have been present in liquid metal systems, including leak-free operation, minimal gallium corrosion of other electrode materials, low liquid metal consumption, and high production rates. The ultimate goal is to create liquid-metal-enabled rapid prototyping technologies, similar to what can be achieved with Arduino projects, where modification and switching of components can be performed in seconds, which enables faster iterations of designs. Our process is focused primarily on fibre-based liquid metal wires contained within thermoplastic elastomers. These fibre form factors can easily be integrated with wearable sensors and actuators as they can be sewn or woven into fabrics, or cast within soft robotic components. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T20:31:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5b60c03938d34045b9a6c0cd3418fb9f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-666X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T20:31:53Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Micromachines |
| spelling | doaj.art-5b60c03938d34045b9a6c0cd3418fb9f2023-12-22T14:25:28ZengMDPI AGMicromachines2072-666X2023-12-011412222710.3390/mi14122227Towards High Efficiency and Rapid Production of Room-Temperature Liquid Metal Wires Compatible with Electronic Prototyping ConnectorsLuka Morita0Shima Jalali1Abolfazl Vaheb2Rawan Elsersawy3Kunj Golwala4Asad Asad5Patricia I. Dolez6James D. Hogan7Mohammad Abu Hasan Khondoker8Dan Sameoto9Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, CanadaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, CanadaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, CanadaIndustrial Systems Engineering, University of Regina, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, CanadaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, CanadaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, CanadaDepartment of Human Ecology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2N1, CanadaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, CanadaIndustrial Systems Engineering, University of Regina, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, CanadaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, CanadaWe present in this work new methodologies to produce, refine, and interconnect room-temperature liquid-metal-core thermoplastic elastomer wires that have extreme extendibility (>500%), low production time and cost at scale, and may be integrated into commonly used electrical prototyping connectors like a Japan Solderless Terminal (JST) or Dupont connectors. Rather than focus on the development of a specific device, the aim of this work is to demonstrate strategies and processes necessary to achieve scalable production of liquid-metal-enabled electronics and address several key challenges that have been present in liquid metal systems, including leak-free operation, minimal gallium corrosion of other electrode materials, low liquid metal consumption, and high production rates. The ultimate goal is to create liquid-metal-enabled rapid prototyping technologies, similar to what can be achieved with Arduino projects, where modification and switching of components can be performed in seconds, which enables faster iterations of designs. Our process is focused primarily on fibre-based liquid metal wires contained within thermoplastic elastomers. These fibre form factors can easily be integrated with wearable sensors and actuators as they can be sewn or woven into fabrics, or cast within soft robotic components.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/14/12/2227EGaIngalliuminterconnectionSEBSextrusionthermal drawing |
| spellingShingle | Luka Morita Shima Jalali Abolfazl Vaheb Rawan Elsersawy Kunj Golwala Asad Asad Patricia I. Dolez James D. Hogan Mohammad Abu Hasan Khondoker Dan Sameoto Towards High Efficiency and Rapid Production of Room-Temperature Liquid Metal Wires Compatible with Electronic Prototyping Connectors Micromachines EGaIn gallium interconnection SEBS extrusion thermal drawing |
| title | Towards High Efficiency and Rapid Production of Room-Temperature Liquid Metal Wires Compatible with Electronic Prototyping Connectors |
| title_full | Towards High Efficiency and Rapid Production of Room-Temperature Liquid Metal Wires Compatible with Electronic Prototyping Connectors |
| title_fullStr | Towards High Efficiency and Rapid Production of Room-Temperature Liquid Metal Wires Compatible with Electronic Prototyping Connectors |
| title_full_unstemmed | Towards High Efficiency and Rapid Production of Room-Temperature Liquid Metal Wires Compatible with Electronic Prototyping Connectors |
| title_short | Towards High Efficiency and Rapid Production of Room-Temperature Liquid Metal Wires Compatible with Electronic Prototyping Connectors |
| title_sort | towards high efficiency and rapid production of room temperature liquid metal wires compatible with electronic prototyping connectors |
| topic | EGaIn gallium interconnection SEBS extrusion thermal drawing |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/14/12/2227 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lukamorita towardshighefficiencyandrapidproductionofroomtemperatureliquidmetalwirescompatiblewithelectronicprototypingconnectors AT shimajalali towardshighefficiencyandrapidproductionofroomtemperatureliquidmetalwirescompatiblewithelectronicprototypingconnectors AT abolfazlvaheb towardshighefficiencyandrapidproductionofroomtemperatureliquidmetalwirescompatiblewithelectronicprototypingconnectors AT rawanelsersawy towardshighefficiencyandrapidproductionofroomtemperatureliquidmetalwirescompatiblewithelectronicprototypingconnectors AT kunjgolwala towardshighefficiencyandrapidproductionofroomtemperatureliquidmetalwirescompatiblewithelectronicprototypingconnectors AT asadasad towardshighefficiencyandrapidproductionofroomtemperatureliquidmetalwirescompatiblewithelectronicprototypingconnectors AT patriciaidolez towardshighefficiencyandrapidproductionofroomtemperatureliquidmetalwirescompatiblewithelectronicprototypingconnectors AT jamesdhogan towardshighefficiencyandrapidproductionofroomtemperatureliquidmetalwirescompatiblewithelectronicprototypingconnectors AT mohammadabuhasankhondoker towardshighefficiencyandrapidproductionofroomtemperatureliquidmetalwirescompatiblewithelectronicprototypingconnectors AT dansameoto towardshighefficiencyandrapidproductionofroomtemperatureliquidmetalwirescompatiblewithelectronicprototypingconnectors |