Production of Liquid Metal Spheres by Molding

Production of Liquid Metal Spheres by Molding

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This paper demonstrates a molding technique for producing spheres composed of eutectic gallium-indium (EGaIn) with diameters ranging from hundreds of microns to a couple millimeters.The technique starts by spreading EGaIn across an elastomeric sheet featuring cylindrical reservoirs defined by replica molding.The metal flows into these features during spreading.

The spontaneous formation of a thin oxide layer on the liquid metal keeps the metal flush inside these reservoirs.Subsequent exposure Ball - Elastic Goods - Belts to acid removes the oxide and causes the metal to bead up into a sphere with a size dictated by the volume of the reservoirs.This technique allows for the production and patterning of droplets with a wide range of volumes, from tens of nanoliters up to a few microliters.

EGaIn spheres can be embedded or encased subsequently in polymer matrices using this technique.These spheres may be useful as solder bumps, electrodes, thermal contacts or Ringette - Equipment components in microfluidic devices (valves, switches, pumps).The ease of parallel-processing and the ability to control the location of the droplets during their formation distinguishes this technique.