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Cited by 110Advanced Materials and MechanicsDielectric materials and actuatorsElectrowetting and Microfluidic Technologies

Soft shape-programmable surfaces by fast electromagnetic actuation of liquid metal networks

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Ni, Xinchen, Luan, Haiwen, Kim, Jin-Tae, Rogge, Sam I., Bai, Yun, Kwak, Jean Won, Liu, Shangliangzi, Yang, Da Som +9 more·2022·Nature Communications
DOI 10.1038/s41467-022-31092-yPMC PMC9508113
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Abstract

Low modulus materials that can shape-morph into different three-dimensional (3D) configurations in response to external stimuli have wide-ranging applications in flexible/stretchable electronics, surgical instruments, soft machines and soft robotics. This paper reports a shape-programmable system that exploits liquid metal microfluidic networks embedded in an elastomer matrix, with electromagnetic forms of actuation, to achieve a unique set of properties. Specifically, this materials structure is capable of fast, continuous morphing into a diverse set of continuous, complex 3D surfaces starting from a two-dimensional (2D) planar configuration, with fully reversible operation. Computational, multi-physics modeling methods and advanced 3D imaging techniques enable rapid, real-time transformations between target shapes. The liquid-solid phase transition of the liquid metal allows for shape fixation and reprogramming on demand. An unusual vibration insensitive, dynamic 3D display screen serves as an application example of this type of morphable surface.

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  • Ni et al. [133] presented an FIM with shape-morphing capabilities using liquid metal networks embedded in a flexible material, allowing the surface to rapidly and continuously transform into complex 3D shapes as needed.

    “Moreover, Ni et al. [133] presented an FIM with shape-morphing capabilities using liquid metal networks embedded in a flexible material. This design takes advantage of the liquid-solid phase transition of the liquid metal, allowing the surface to rapidly and continuously transform into complex 3D shapes as needed.”

    From Emerging Technologies in Intelligent Metasurfaces: Shaping the Future of Wireless Communications (2026) · cites this paper as [133]

    The Introduction and the Results section on fast 3D shape morphing describe liquid-metal networks embedded in an elastomer and rapid, continuous transformations into complex 3D surfaces. But the Results attribute fast transformations to electromagnetic actuation; the liquid–solid phase transition is used for shape fixation and reprogramming, not to drive rapid morphing. Page numbers are unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.91)

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Ni, X., Luan, H., Kim, J.-T., Rogge, S. I., Bai, Y., Kwak, J. W., Liu, S., Yang, D. S., Li, S., Li, S., Li, Z., Zhang, Y., Wu, C., Ni, X., Huang, Y., Wang, H., & Rogers, J. A.
Affiliations
Northwestern University (US)
Corresponding author
  • Ni, Xiaoyue
  • Huang, Yonggang
  • Wang, Heling
  • Rogers, John A.
ORCID
Venue
Nature Communications
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2022-09-23
Volume
13
Issue
1
Pages
5576-5576
ISSN
2041-1723 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1038/s41467-022-31092-y
PMC
PMC9508113
OpenAlex
W4297022396
Cited by
110
References
5
Citations by year
2026: 29 · 2025: 27 · 2024: 33 · 2023: 21
FWCI
7.64
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Nature Communications (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
United States Department of Defense | United States Army | U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command | Army Research Office (W911NF-17-1-0351)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Mechanical Engineering › Advanced Materials and Mechanics
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Dielectric materials and actuators
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Electrical and Electronic Engineering › Electrowetting and Microfluidic Technologies
Keywords
electromagnetic actuation, elastomer matrix, melting, soft robotics, 3D morphing, shape fixation, multiphysics simulation, soft machines

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