Search

In recent years, gallium-based liquid metal has emerged as a prominent research material in the realm of flexible electronics, owing to its exceptional electrical conductivity and deformability. The crux of developing flexible electronic devices using liquid metal as a conductive material lies in the patterning of the liquid metal. Inkjet printing technology possesses the capability to efficiently craft functional patterns by printing any inkable material. However, due to the facile oxidation of the gallium-based liquid metal surface in ambient air, leading to the formation of oxide films and the presence of high surface tension, conventional inkjet printing techniques are incapable of directly rendering liquid metal prints. This manuscript introduces a refined and remarkably efficient approach to inkjet printing utilizing the liquid metal. By deftly adjusting the interfacial tension of the liquid metal at the nozzle with ultra-low potentials, falling within the 2-V range, the achievement of on-demand, micron-scale liquid metal microdroplet ejection printing surpassing 3 kHz is brought to fruition. This article delves into unraveling the mechanisms of potential modulation on the interfacial tension of the liquid metal at the nozzle, as well as the fundamental theories pertaining to the formation and migration of liquid metal microdroplets. These insights establish a theoretical and technical foundation for the application of liquid metals in the field of electronic printing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The mechanism of action of thermal bubbles at the solid–liquid interface was studied for the first time. • Unveiling the underlying mechanisms of liquid metal droplet ejection. • The potential of utilizing this technology to achieve multi-orifice liquid metal jetting was demonstrated. In this work, we introduced the pulsed laser-driven liquid metal arrayed printing technology. This study harnesses sub-millimeter-sized rapidly expanding bubbles generated by nanosecond pulsed laser irradiation at the solid–liquid interface as the power source for liquid metal printing, enabling efficient arrayed jetting printing of liquid metal. Utilizing high-speed imaging technology, this study investigates the expansion process of bubbles induced by nanosecond pulsed lasers at the solid–liquid interface and the jetting process of liquid metal, thereby revealing the mechanism of liquid metal jet ejection. The study systematically examines the influence of laser parameters on the jetting behavior of liquid metal, laying a theoretical and technical foundation for applications such as patterned printing in the field of liquid metal. This technology holds significant engineering implications for further advancing the application of liquid metal in fields such as flexible electronics and printed electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]