Rapid meniscus-guided printing of stable semi-solid-state liquid metal microgranular-particle for soft electronics

Abstract

Liquid metal is being regarded as a promising material for soft electronics owing to its distinct combination of high electrical conductivity comparable to that of metals and exceptional deformability derived from its liquid state. However, the applicability of liquid metal is still limited due to the difficulty in simultaneously achieving its mechanical stability and initial conductivity. Furthermore, reliable and rapid patterning of stable liquid metal directly on various soft substrates at high-resolution remains a formidable challenge. In this work, meniscus-guided printing of ink containing polyelectrolyte-attached liquid metal microgranular-particle in an aqueous solvent to generate semi-solid-state liquid metal is presented. Liquid metal microgranular-particle printed in the evaporative regime is mechanically stable, initially conductive, and patternable down to 50 mu m on various substrates. Demonstrations of the ultrastretchable (similar to 500% strain) electrical circuit, customized e-skin, and zero-waste ECG sensor validate the simplicity, versatility, and reliability of this manufacturing strategy, enabling broad utility in the development of advanced soft electronics.