US 12,612,507 B1 · Programmable liquid metal microstructures for multifunctional soft thermal composites and methods for making same

Abstract

Soft, elastically deformable composites of multifunctional materials for electronics, robotics, and reconfigurable structures. Liquid metal (LM) droplets dispersed in elastomer matrices has unique combinations of soft mechanical response with exceptional electrical and thermal functionalities. These properties are strongly dependent on the material composition and microstructure. Control of LM microdroplet morphology to program mechanical and functional properties is by annealed-deformation shaping LM droplets in soft composites to create programmable microstructures in stress-free materials. Thermo-mechanical shaping is one example of annealed-deformation shaping. This enables LM loadings up to 70% by volume with prescribed particle aspect ratios and orientation, enabling control of microstructure throughout the bulk of the material. Through this microstructural control in soft composites, a material which simultaneously achieves a thermal conductivity as high as 13.0 W m−1 K−1 (>70× increase over polymer matrix) with low modulus (<1.0 MPa) and high stretchability (>750% strain) is demonstrated in stress-free conditions.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A composite comprising:

an elastically deformed and annealed elastomer of a class of elastomers which are annealable to remove stress, wherein the elastically deformed and annealed elastomer is towards a stress-free state and without substantial unrecoverable plastic strain, and
a dispersion of permanent annealed-deformation shaped liquid metal inclusions in the elastically deformed and annealed elastomer,
wherein the annealed-deformation shaped liquid metal inclusions are programmed in one or more of size, shape, orientation, and concentration by:
elastically deforming the elastomer with initial embedded liquid metal inclusions to shape the initial embedded liquid metal inclusions from an initial shape to a different shape by applied strain creating internal stress, and then
annealing the deformed elastomer with the differently shaped liquid metal inclusions effective to relax the elastomer to remove internal stress while substantially retaining the differently shaped liquid metal inclusions without substantial plastic deformation to form a liquid metal programmable elastomer (LMPE).

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Programmable liquid metal microstructures for multifunctional soft thermal composites and methods for making same

Life of this patent

Programmable liquid metal microstructures for multifunctional soft thermal composites and methods for making same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18