Formation of Multiphase Soft Metal from Compositing GaInSn and BiInSn Alloy Systems

Abstract

Emerging functional room-temperature liquid metals generally include gallium-based and bismuth-based alloys. Their excellent electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, flexibility, fluidity, and reflectivity can enable their application in many fields. However, there are quite a few problems that need to be solved before their application. For example, liquid metals are often difficult to adhere and diffuse on solid substrates due to their high surface tension and fluidity, which hinders the application and promotion. Herein, we report a method to develop multiphase soft metals from gallium- and bismuth-based alloys. Particularly, room-temperature multiphase soft metals of GaBiInSn alloys developed from Ga67In20.5Sn12.5 and Bi33.1In51.3Sn15.6 alloys via compositing, mixing, and heating treatment are first reported, which include the solid phase, liquid phase, and paste phase, respectively. The free metal alloy grains are dispersed in GaBiInSn alloys and transition constantly among different phases. More importantly, the structure, size, density, and other characteristics of free metal alloy grains can be modified by adjusting the mass ratio of each component. The surface morphology, structure, wettability, adhesion, work function, and photoelectric characteristics of multiphase soft metals can be controlled and optimized by controlling phase transition. As a result, the wettability of the obtained Ga50.25Bi8.28In28.2Sn13.27 is obviously improved (the contact angle decreased from 118.5° to 94°), with a high work function (4.75 eV), high reflectivity (78.14%), low electrical resistivity (2.94 × 10–7 Ω m). Meanwhile, several typical applications of the multiphase materials were demonstrated. The results of this work will offer a promising strategy to directly prepare liquid metal flexible electrodes on PI, PET, and silk, and also, the stability can be kept well under large deformation and curling conditions.

Unique and Excellent Paintable Liquid Metal for Fluorescent Displays

“…The LM (Ga 50.25 Bi 8.28 In 28.2 Sn 13.27 alloy) was prepared successfully and contained Ga, Bi, In, and Sn; the LM included a solid phase, liquid phase, and paste phase at room temperature (Figure a). The wettability of the LM was obviously improved, and it could be used for painting or direct writing of films as detailed in our previous study . For the first time, a LM-induced “painting–annealing–dealloying” strategy was used for the simple fabrication of defective light emission centers supported on oxide substrates (Figure b).…”

“…For practical applications, the LM has good adhesion and fluidity at room temperature. LM patterns can be painted on any surfaces, similar to the painting or writing in our previous study . Some design examples are shown in Figure .…”

“…The wettability of the LM was obviously improved, and it could be used for painting or direct writing of films as detailed in our previous study. 31 For the first time, a LM-induced "painting−annealing−dealloying" strategy was used for the simple fabrication of defective light emission centers supported on oxide substrates (Figure 1b). As shown in Figure 1c and Movie 1 in the Supporting Information, using a paintbrush, the LM was easily painted onto any oxide substrate (here Al 2 O 3 / SiO 2 composites were used), followed by annealing in air for 10 h at a temperature in the range of 400−750 °C.…”

“…LM patterns can be painted on any surfaces, similar to the painting or writing in our previous study. 31 Some design examples are shown in Figure 9. A white fluorescent pattern was plotted on the ceramic substrate surfaces by the "painting−annealing−dealloying" strategy.…”

Liquid metal-based electrosynthesis of stratified zinc–organic frameworks

“…[14][15][16] Electrifying the interface between the two liquids modulates the interfacial tension and results in enhanced surface enrichment of solute metals at the interface. [17][18][19][20] The electrocapillary-controlled surface enrichment on the surface of liquid alloys can be utilized as a potentially effective means to engage solute metals in interfacial chemical reactions, 21 e.g., to synthesize metal-organic frameworks (MOFs).…”