Liquid Metal Nanoparticle‐Based Multifunctional Printable Electronics Enabled by Polymerizable Deep Eutectic Solvents
Kai Zhao, Yanbo Zhao, Jialin Wang, Changqing Ye
Abstract
Abstract Liquid metal nanoparticles (LMNPs) are being considered as promising candidates for printable electronics owing to their high conductivity and fluidity, as well as improved wettability comparable to that of bulk LMs. However, the high surface tension and weak adhesion of LMNPs pose formidable challenges to their facile patterning on various substrates for diverse applications. Herein, a new LMNP‐polymer composite is reported for multifunctional printable electronics, which is achieved by introducing α ‐lipoic acid (LA)/choline chloride (ChCl) polymerizable deep eutectic solvents (PDESs) as ideal polymer carriers. Simply with the ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) of LA, highly conductive LMNP‐PDES composites can be patterned on the surface of various substrates using facile printing methods. Benefiting from the hydrogen bondings within PDES, the printed LMNP‐PDES traces feature enhance adhesion on substrates and consistent performances under different deformations. More importantly, they can be easily dissolved in ethanol via thermal treatment and reprinted for further use, showing excellent recyclable capability. Demonstrations of stretchable sensor, conformal electrode, and smart actuator validate the versatility and reliability of this LMNP‐PDES composite, ensuring its broad prospects on printable electronics.