Control of Liquid Metal Magnetics

Gallium-based liquid metals (LMs) exhibit adhesion and wetting capabilities to many surfaces or substrates. By mixing magnetic particles with LMs, magnetic liquid metal composites with magnetically responsive properties can be obtained. It retains the properties of liquid metal in its liquid state at room temperature, while the inherent good electrical/thermal conductivity of liquid metal makes its shape attractive and promising for soft robotics, stretchable and wearable electronics, photothermal therapy, etc. In addition, by mixing with magnetic particles, liquid metals have a magnetic response to achieve remote noncontact real-time control, which has great potential for medical testing, biosensing, soft robotics, etc.