Architected liquid metal networks and processes of making and using same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020146142-A1
Application number	US-201916671750-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 1, 2019
Priority date	Nov 2, 2018
Publication date	May 7, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to architected liquid metal networks and processes of making and using same. The predetermined template design technology of such architected liquid metal networks provides the desired spatial control of electrical, electromagnetic, and thermal properties as a function of strain. Thus, resulting in improved overall performance including process ability.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An article comprising a substrate having an average particle attachment strength of from about 2.8 micro-newtons to about 1 newton and a strain at failure of from about 5% to about 10,000%; and a plurality of encapsulates comprising a liquid metal core having an external surface, a metal oxide shell that encapsulates said liquid metal core, said shell having an external shell surface; and optionally one or more ligands and/or multi-functional ligands covalently bound to said shell's external surface and/or coordinatively bound to said liquid metal core's external surface:
a) said liquid metal core comprising a liquid metal selected from the group consisting of Hg, Pb, Sn, Sb, Cd, Bi, Ga, In, Al, Zn, Ag, Au, Tl and mixtures thereof; b) said shell comprising a metal oxide comprising a cation derived from a metal selected from the group consisting of Ga, In, Sn, Pb, Sb, Cd, Al, Zn, Tl, Bi, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Te, Gd, Hf, Pr, Nd, Pt, Sm, Eu, Dy, Ho, Er, Yb, Pu and mixtures thereof; and c) said one or more ligands comprising a head group that comprises a material selected from the group consisting of thiols, amines, phosphonic acids, alkoxysilanes, halosilanes, carboxylic acids, nitriles, and mixtures thereof; d) said one or more multi-functional ligands comprising a head group that comprises a material selected from the group consisting of thiols, amines, phosphonic acids, alkoxysilanes, halosilanes, carboxylic acids, nitriles, and mixtures thereof.

2 . The article according to claim 1 wherein said encapsulates' are chemically bound via a linkage comprising a residue of said ligands of said encapsulates to the external shell of an encapsulate other than the external shell of the encapsulate to which said ligands were originally covalently or coordinatively bound.

3 . The article according to claim 1 wherein for said encapsulate:
a) said liquid metal core comprises a liquid metal alloy is selected from the group consisting of Ga/In, Ga/In/Sn, Ga/In/Sn/Sb, In/Sn/Bi, Bi/Pb/Sn, Bi/Pb/Sn/Cd, Bi/Pb/Sn/Cd/In and mixtures thereof; and
b) said shell comprises a metal oxide comprising a cation derived from a metal selected from the group consisting of Ga, Sn, Sb, Cd, Bi, In and mixtures thereof.

4 . The article according to claim 1 , wherein said encapsulate has a shell thickness of from about 0.5 nanometers to about 5 nanometers.

5 . The article according to claim 1 wherein said encapsulate has a principal dimension of from about 5 nanometers to about 5 millimeters.

6 . The article according to claim 1 said article having one or more of the following properties:
a) a conductivity increase of about 5 to about 12 orders of magnitude over an initial elongation of about 1% to about 300%;
b) after an initial elongation of from about 300% to 1000%, a repeatable resistance variation of less than 100% over an elongation of about 150% to about 1000%;
c) after an initial elongation of from about 300% to 1000%, a repeatable resistance decrease of greater than 0% to about 20% over a range of elongation from greater than 0% to about 100%, a repeatable resistance decrease of greater than 5% to about 20% over a range of elongation from greater than 0% to about 100%, or a repeatable resistance decrease of greater than 0% to about 10% over a range of elongation from greater than 0% to about 50%.

7 . The article according to claim 1 wherein said substrate comprises a film and/or fiber.

8 . An article according to claim 1 , said article being a garment, a furniture item, bedding, a vehicle, sporting good, electronic device, safety equipment, medical device, and/or appliance.

9 . An article according to claim 1 wherein said substrate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of films comprising celluloses, animal leathers, natural polyisoprenes, natural latex rubbers, modified starches, skin, polyvinyl chlorides, polyethyleneterepthalate, polypropylenes, hydroxyethylacrylate, acrylics, modacrylics, polylactic acids, polybutadienes, nylons, aramids, polyesters, polyvinyl alcohols, polyurethanes, polyureas, polystyrenes, polyhydroxybutyrates, polyglycolides, polydimethylsiloxanes, polycaprolactones, styrene-butadiene rubbers, polybutylenes, polyisoprenes, polychloroprenes, polybutenes, polyhydroxyalkanoates, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate), poly(vinylidene fluoride) and copolymers, tetrafluoroethylene copolymers, perfluoromethylvinyl ether copolymers, tetrafluoroethylene propylene, polyolefins, polybutylene succinates, polybutylene adipate terephthalates, and mixtures thereof; and/or a material selected from the group consisting of fibers comprising cellulosic polymers, lignin-based polymers, proteinaceous polymers, minerals, vinyls, polyacrylonitriles, modacrylics, polystyrenes, polylactides, polybutadienes, polyesters, polyamides, polyethylenes, polybenzoxazoles, polyurethanes, polyureas, polyhydroxybutyrates, polyglycolides, polycaprolactones, polydimethylsiloxanes, polytetrafluoroethylenes, fluorinates ethylene propylenes, ethylene tetrafluoroethylenes, polyolefins, polyhydroxyalkanoates, polybutylene succinates, polybutylene adipate terephthalates, carbon fibers, and mixtures thereof.

10 . An article according to claim 1 comprising a particulate filler material.

11 . An article according to claim 10 wherein said particulate filler material is selected from the group consisting of polymers, ceramics, metals, non-metallic allotropes and mixtures thereof.

12 . A method of using an article according to claim 1 , comprising activating said article by applying one or more forces to said encapsulates.

13 . A trace comprising a liquid metal, a porous medium comprising a plurality of solid particulates, and a casing that encases said liquid metal and said porous medium comprising a plurality of solid particulates, at least a portion of said casing having a strain at failure of from about 5% to about 10,000%;
a) said liquid metal being selected from the group consisting of Hg, Pb, Sn, Sb, Cd, Bi, Ga, In, Al, Zn, Ag, Au, Tl and mixtures thereof; b) said plurality of solid particulates comprising a material selected from the group consisting of polymers, ceramics, metals, non-metallic allotropes and mixtures thereof; c) said casing comprising a material selected from the group consisting of polymers, ceramics, metals, non-metallic allotropes and mixtures thereof; d) with the provisos that:
(i) when said liquid metal and plurality of solid particulates comprises between about 59.0% to about 99.9% liquid metal by weight, said liquid metal and plurality of solid particulates comprises between about 0% to about 0.08% gallium oxide by weight or between about 2.2% to about 95% gallium oxide by weight;
(ii) when said liquid metal and plurality of solid particulates comprises between about 0.1% to about 2% gallium oxide by weight, said liquid metal and plurality of solid particulates comprises between about 5% to about 55% liquid metal by weight.

14 . A trace according to claim 13 comprising a liquid metal to porous medium ratio between about 1 part liquid metal per 10 parts porous medium by volume to about 19 parts liquid metal per 1 part porous medium by volume.

15 . The trace according to claim 13 wherein said plurality of solid particulates have one or more of the following geometries spheroids, rods, tubes, flakes, plates, cubes, prisms, pyramids, cages, dendrites, and mixtures thereof.

16 . The trace according to claim 13 wherein said plurality of solid particulates comprise a void.

17 . The trace accord

Assignees

• Us Gov Air Force

Inventors

• Thrasher Carl J
• Tabor Christopher E
• Farrell Zachary J
• Morris Nicholas J
• Yuen Michelle Ching-Sum

Classifications

• H05K2203/1105

  Heating or thermal processing not related to soldering, firing, curing or laminating, e.g. for shaping the substrate or during finish plating · CPC title

• H05K1/0283 Primary

  Stretchable printed circuits · CPC title

• H05K2203/1131

  Sintering, i.e. fusing of metal particles to achieve or improve electrical conductivity · CPC title

• H05K2201/0245

  Flakes, flat particles or lamellar particles · CPC title

• H05K3/22

  Secondary treatment of printed circuits {(H05K3/1283 takes precedence; embedding circuits in grooves by pressure H05K3/107)} · CPC title