About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2026 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
2026 Technical Division Student Poster Contest
|
| Presentation Title |
SPG-16: Microfluidic-Assisted Additive Manufacturing of Liquid Metal for Soft Functional Electronics |
| Author(s) |
Dhanush Patil, Kenan Song |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Dhanush Patil |
| Abstract Scope |
Gallium-based liquid metals (LMs) offer high conductivity and deformability, but present challenges in achieving precise and scalable patterning. This work introduces a microfluidic-assisted direct ink writing (DIW) platform utilizing a custom co-flow nozzle to control LM deposition. By leveraging the LM’s native oxide skin and tailoring interfacial mechanics, we achieve tunable transitions between continuous conductive traces and discrete droplet arrays. Functional validation through sandwich and interdigitated capacitive sensors demonstrates enhanced effective surface areas with sensitivities in the 0.26–0.43 kPa⁻¹ range. This approach effectively resolves the trade-off between printing resolution and speed, while maintaining mechanical compliance under deformation. The resulting process offers a scalable, versatile pathway for integrating liquid metals into high-performance wearables, soft robotics, and electronic skins. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Undecided |
| Keywords |
Additive Manufacturing, Composites, Other |