PMID- 37723883
OWN - NLM
STAT- PubMed-not-MEDLINE
LR  - 20230927
IS  - 1744-6848 (Electronic)
IS  - 1744-683X (Linking)
VI  - 19
IP  - 37
DP  - 2023 Sep 27
TI  - Homogeneity of liquid metal polymer composites: impact on mechanical, electrical, 
      and sensing behavior.
PG  - 7202-7215
LID - 10.1039/d3sm00971h [doi]
AB  - Liquid metal polymer composites (LMPCs) are formed by dispersing eutectic 
      gallium-indium-tin (galinstan) droplets within a soft polymer matrix, such as 
      polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), resulting in an insulating composite that is 
      suitable for dielectric applications, including wearable sensors and actuators. 
      LMPCs offer a unique combination of robust mechanical performance and desirable 
      electrical properties. While much research has focused on the effects of rigid 
      fillers in polymer composites, the behavior of liquid metal fillers, particularly 
      the impact of homogeneity, has received limited attention. The density disparity 
      between galinstan and the polymer matrix (6.44 g cm(-3) compared to 0.97 g 
      cm(-3)) results in the settling of galinstan droplets before curing, especially 
      in matrices with low viscosity, leading to an inhomogeneous composition that may 
      affect material performance. To address this, an innovative approach was 
      introduced that enabled a spatially uniform (homogeneous) dispersion of galinstan 
      droplets in PDMS while preserving the non-conductive nature of the composites. 
      Work described herein evaluates the influence of homogeneity on electrical and 
      mechanical properties as well as performance of LMPCs as pressure sensors. It was 
      found that homogeneity has minimal effect on permittivity and dielectric loss but 
      exhibits a complex behavior with respect to other parameters, including 
      dielectric strength, which is often exacerbated at higher concentrations (>/=50 
      vol%). These findings provide valuable insight that contributes to improved 
      control over the material properties of LMPCs and expands their potential 
      applications in soft robotics and stretchable electronics.
FAU - Hoang, Anh
AU  - Hoang A
AUID- ORCID: 0009-0009-8655-8198
AD  - Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, University of Alabama, 3043 H. M. 
      Comer, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA. askoh@eng.ua.edu.
FAU - Faruqe, Omar
AU  - Faruqe O
AD  - Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 
      Milwaukee, WI, USA.
FAU - Bury, Elizabeth
AU  - Bury E
AUID- ORCID: 0000-0003-3879-0522
AD  - Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, University of Alabama, 3043 H. M. 
      Comer, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA. askoh@eng.ua.edu.
FAU - Park, Chanyeop
AU  - Park C
AD  - Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 
      Milwaukee, WI, USA.
FAU - Koh, Amanda
AU  - Koh A
AUID- ORCID: 0000-0003-3960-3872
AD  - Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, University of Alabama, 3043 H. M. 
      Comer, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA. askoh@eng.ua.edu.
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
DEP - 20230927
PL  - England
TA  - Soft Matter
JT  - Soft matter
JID - 101295070
SB  - IM
EDAT- 2023/09/19 06:42
MHDA- 2023/09/19 06:43
CRDT- 2023/09/19 02:29
PHST- 2023/09/19 06:43 [medline]
PHST- 2023/09/19 06:42 [pubmed]
PHST- 2023/09/19 02:29 [entrez]
AID - 10.1039/d3sm00971h [doi]
PST - epublish
SO  - Soft Matter. 2023 Sep 27;19(37):7202-7215. doi: 10.1039/d3sm00971h.