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Deformable liquid metal polymer composites with tunable electronic and mechanical properties

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2018

Amanda Koh Open the ORCID record for Amanda Koh [Opens in a new window] ,
Jennifer Sietins ,
Geoffrey Slipher  and
Randy Mrozek
Amanda Koh
Affiliation:
Autonomous Systems Division, Vehicle Technology Directorate, U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland 21005, USA
Jennifer Sietins
Affiliation:
Manufacturing Science and Technology Branch, Weapons and Materials Research Directorate, U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland 21005, USA
Geoffrey Slipher*
Affiliation:
Autonomous Systems Division, Vehicle Technology Directorate, U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland 21005, USA
Randy Mrozek*
Affiliation:
Polymers Branch, Weapons and Materials Research Directorate, U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland 21005, USA
*
a)Address all correspondence to these authors. e-mail: geoffrey.a.slipher.civ@mail.mil
b)e-mail: randy.a.mrozek.civ@mail.mil
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Abstract

Room-temperature liquid metals, such as eutectic gallium–indium–tin (galinstan), dispersed in a polymer matrix present unique potential as conductors that may have minimal influence on the host polymer mechanical performance while providing enhanced electrical performance. Work described herein systematically evaluates the influence of uncured polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) viscosity and galinstan loading on final dispersion viscosity and cured modulus. Dispersions of up to 80 vol% galinstan were obtained with relative permittivity values up to 170 that otherwise exhibited similar uncured rheological changes to a solid filler. Cured galinstan-in-PDMS dispersions, however, exhibited a reduced stiffness increase with respect to the host polymer relative to a solid filler. At a critical PDMS viscosity and metal, loading phase inversion to a conductive PDMS-in-metal dispersion was observed. It is anticipated that this work will enable the development of liquid metal polymer composites with independently controlled mechanical and electrical properties for a wide variety of stretchable electronic applications.

Keywords

colloidelectronic materialmicrostructure
Type
Invited Paper
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 33 , Issue 17 , 14 September 2018 , pp. 2443 - 2453
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2018 

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