In this work we describe a soft and ultrastretchable fiber with a magnetic liquid metal (MLM) core for electrical switches used in remote magnetic actuation. MLM was prepared by removing the oxide layer on the liquid metal and subsequent mixing with magnetic iron particles. We used SEBS (poly[styrene-b-(ethylene-co-butylene)-b-styrene]) and silicone to prepare stretchable elastic fibers. Once hollow elastic fibers form, MLM was injected into the core of the fiber at ambient pressure. The fibers are soft (Young’s modulus of 1.6~4.4 MPa) and ultrastretchable (elongation at break of 600~5000%) while maintaining electrical conductivity and magnetic property due to the fluidic nature of the core. Magnetic strength of the fibers was characterized by measuring the maximum effective distance between the magnet and the fiber as a function of iron particle concentration in the MLM core and the polymeric shell. The MLM core facilitates the use of the fiber in electrical switches for remote magnetic actuation. This ultrastretchable and elastic fiber with MLM core can be used in soft robotics, and wearable and conformal electronics.
In this work, we introduce liquid metal patterned stretchable and soft capacitive sensor with enhanced dielectric properties enabled by graphite nanofiber (GNF) fillers dispersed in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate. We oxidized gallium-based liquid metal that exhibited excellent wetting behavior on the surface of the composites to enable patterning of the electrodes by a facile stencil printing. The fluidic behavior of the liquid metal electrode and modulated dielectric properties of the composite (k = 6.41 ± 0.092@6 wt % at 1 kHz) was utilized to fabricate stretchable and soft capacitive sensor with ability to distinguish various hand motions.
Herein, non‐polymeric thin cross‐sectional wires were fabricated by injecting materials into elastomeric hollow fibers with subsequent drawing. Once materials were injected into hollow elastic fibers, cores were drawn as fibers elongated. Solidifying the core and removing polymeric shell could form free‐standing wires with thin cross‐sections. In this work, two different thin wires, metallic wires (gallium), and SiCN ceramic wires, were fabricated. Although mechanical and physical properties of these wires completely differed, fabrication approaches were identical by drawing materials near room temperature. Solidified wires enhanced mechanical properties of fibers. Thus, fibers could store elastic energy and preserve deformed complex shapes with the assist of solidified cores. Although the wires with thin cross sections are inherently brittle, the relatively low melting point of gallium (29.8°C) allows it to heal easily upon body heating.
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