Researchers at NCSU have developed four techniques to create freestanding structures from liquid metal using 3D printers. One technique involves stacking droplets on top of one another. The droplets adhere to each other because of surface tension, but that same surface tension prevents them from merging into one larger drop. The ability to directly print liquid metals is important for soft, stretchable, and shape-reconfigurable analogs to wires, electrical interconnects, electrodes, antennae, metamaterials and optical materials.
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3D Printing Takes a Shine to Liquid Metal
Posted by: Richard Adhikari July 12, 2013 10:44 AMResearchers at NCSU have developed four techniques to create freestanding structures from liquid metal using 3D printers. One technique involves stacking droplets on top of one another. The droplets adhere to each other because of surface tension, but that same surface tension prevents them from merging into one larger drop. The ability to directly print liquid metals is important for soft, stretchable, and shape-reconfigurable analogs to wires, electrical interconnects, electrodes, antennae, metamaterials and optical materials.