Mohammad Rashed Khan

Giant and switchable surface activity of liquid metal via surface oxidation

Significance We present a method to control the interfacial energy of a liquid metal via electrochemical deposition (or removal) of an oxide layer on its surface. Unlike conventional surfactants, this approach can tune the interfacial tension of a metal significantly (from ∼7× that of water to near zero), rapidly, and reversibly using only modest voltages. These properties can be harnessed to induce previously unidentified electrohydrodynamic phenomena for manipulating liquid metal alloys based on gallium, which may enable shape-reconfigurable metallic components in electronic, electromagnetic, and microfluidic devices without the use of toxic mercury. The results also suggest that oxides—which are ubiquitous on most metals and semiconductors—may be harnessed to lower interfacial energy between dissimilar materials. We present a method to control the interfacial tension of a liquid alloy of gallium via electrochemical deposition (or removal) of the oxide layer on its surface. In sharp contrast with conventional surfactants, this method provides unprecedented lowering of surface tension (∼500 mJ/m2 to near zero) using very low voltage, and the change is completely reversible. This dramatic change in the interfacial tension enables a variety of electrohydrodynamic phenomena. The ability to manipulate the interfacial properties of the metal promises rich opportunities in shape-reconfigurable metallic components in electronic, electromagnetic, and microfluidic devices without the use of toxic mercury. This work suggests that the wetting properties of surface oxides—which are ubiquitous on most metals and semiconductors—are intrinsic “surfactants.” The inherent asymmetric nature of the surface coupled with the ability to actively manipulate its energetics is expected to have important applications in electrohydrodynamics, composites, and melt processing of oxide-forming materials.

A frequency shifting liquid metal antenna with pressure responsiveness

This letter describes the fabrication and characterization of a shape shifting antenna that changes electrical length and therefore, frequency, in a controlled and rapid response to pressure. The antenna is composed of a liquid metal alloy (eutectic gallium indium) injected into microfluidic channels that feature rows of posts that separate adjacent segments of the metal. The initial shape of the antenna is stabilized mechanically by a thin oxide skin that forms on the liquid metal. Rupturing the skin merges distinct segments of the metal, which rapidly changes the length, and therefore frequency, of the antenna. A high speed camera elucidates the mechanism of merging and simulations model accurately the spectral properties of the antennas.

Influence of Water on the Interfacial Behavior of Gallium Liquid Metal Alloys

Eutectic gallium indium (EGaIn) is a promising liquid metal for a variety of electrical and optical applications that take advantage of its soft and fluid properties. The presence of a rapidly forming oxide skin on the surface of the metal causes it to stick to many surfaces, which limits the ability to easily reconfigure its shape on demand. This paper shows that water can provide an interfacial slip layer between EGaIn and other surfaces, which allows the metal to flow smoothly through capillaries and across surfaces without sticking. Rheological and surface characterization shows that the presence of water also changes the chemical composition of the oxide skin and weakens its mechanical strength, although not enough to allow the metal to flow freely in microchannels without the slip layer. The slip layer provides new opportunities to control and actuate liquid metal plugs in microchannels-including the use of continuous electrowetting-enabling new possibilities for shape reconfigurable electronics, sensors, actuators, and antennas.

A reconfigurable liquid metal antenna driven by electrochemically controlled capillarity

We describe a new electrochemical method for reversible, pump-free control of liquid eutectic gallium and indium (EGaIn) in a capillary. Electrochemical deposition (or removal) of a surface oxide on the EGaIn significantly lowers (or increases) its interfacial tension as a means to induce the liquid metal in (or out) of the capillary. A fabricated prototype demonstrates this method in a reconfigurable antenna application in which EGaIn forms the radiating element. By inducing a change in the physical length of the EGaIn, the operating frequency of the antenna tunes over a large bandwidth. This purely electrochemical mechanism uses low, DC voltages to tune the antenna continuously and reversibly between 0.66 GHz and 3.4 GHz resulting in a 5:1 tuning range. Gain and radiation pattern measurements agree with electromagnetic simulations of the device, and its measured radiation efficiency varies from 41% to 70% over its tuning range.

A Pressure Responsive Fluidic Microstrip Open Stub Resonator Using a Liquid Metal Alloy

This letter describes a fluidic microstrip bandstop filter with transmission properties that change in discrete states. The filter consists of a liquid metal alloy - eutectic gallium indium (EGaIn) - as the conductive component in microfluidic channels. The fluidity of EGaIn allows the open stub resonator of the filter to change its length by flowing in response to an applied pressure. A series of posts in the channel defines the length of the stub filled by the metal and dictates the pressure needed for the liquid metal to flow and thereby extend the stub length. The frequency response of the filter changes in response to the changes in the length of the resonator stub. This approach is a simple method for creating tunable filters and impedance matching sections using soft materials that change dimensions in response to pressure.

A Compound Frequency- and Polarization- Reconfigurable Crossed Dipole Using Multidirectional Spreading of Liquid Metal

We present a crossed dipole with frequency and polarization agility using electrochemically actuated liquid metal. For the first time, this antenna uses multidirectional displacement of liquid metal to enable frequency and polarization reconfiguration without the need for mechanical pumps or semiconductor devices. The dipole arms are composed of liquid metal that can be shortened and lengthened within the capillaries by applying DC voltages to each arm. Varying the lengths of the dipole arms generates two independently tuned, linearly polarized resonances from 0.8 to 3 GHz and polarization that can be switched from linear to circular over a portion of this band (0.89–1.63 GHz). Moreover, a circuit model predicts the circular polarization frequency from the input impedance. Simulation and experimental results validate the antenna concept and analysis techniques.

Pump-free feedback control of a frequency reconfigurable liquid metal monopole

We demonstrate a pump-free method to control the length of liquid metal in a capillary as a means to change the operating frequency of a monopole antenna. An applied DC voltage controls the surface tension of the liquid metal filament, causing it to lengthen or contract, varying the antennas resonant length. A closed-loop feedback system tracks the antennas operating frequency and adjusts the applied voltage to shape the liquid metal towards the desired response. Measurements show that the process is controlled and fully reversible, dynamically adjusting to a programmed frequency.