CAREER: Manufacturing Soft Functional Composites through Mechanically Induced Assembly of Liquid Microstructures in Elastic Films

职业：通过弹性薄膜中液体微结构的机械诱导组装制造软功能复合材料

• 批准号: 2238754
• 负责人: Michael Bartlett
• 金额: $ 59.06万
• 依托单位: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-01-01 至 2027-12-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2238754&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CAREER; Manufacturing; Soft; Functional; Composites

This Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) grant supports research to understand the fundamental processing-structure-property relationships that govern continuous manufacturing and microstructural assembly of liquid metal-based composites for a new class of soft, deformable, and robust functional materials. Soft functional composites consisting of liquid metal droplets dispersed in elastic solids have shown promising capabilities for self-healing and stretchable electronics, soft robots, and thermal-interface materials for portable devices. However, these composites are often created in a single batch which limits scalability, and the processing dependence and underlying mechanisms of how liquid metal inclusions deform and assemble during manufacturing is not well known. This research will determine the fundamental inclusion deformation mechanisms and quantify how liquid metal microstructures in soft composites evolve during processing. This research has the potential to guide the realization of new continuous manufacturing strategies for precise and highly controlled mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties in functional soft materials by tuning liquid metal inclusion morphology during processing. The knowledge gained through this research will enable future innovations in electronics and robotics, which benefits national economy and society. Additionally, the research is paired with a broader outreach program and day camp, with an emphasis on first-generation students in Southwest Virginia. The outreach program is designed to engage, excite, and develop student interest and skills in manufacturing, soft electronics, and robotics while highlighting STEM career options.The specific goal of the research is to determine the processing dependence, underlying mechanisms, and quantitative microstructural origins of how liquid metal inclusions deform and assemble in soft solids. This is achieved through a combination of controlled processing strategies such as film embossing, tentering or stretching, and roll-to-roll assembly with in-situ electrical characterization and synchronized micro- and nano-computed tomography. This approach provides the processing-structure-property relationships needed for the advanced manufacturing of soft composites through mechanically induced assembly of liquid microstructures in elastic films. The project aims to determine the fundamental liquid metal inclusion deformation mechanisms and ensuing microstructures as a function of inclusion size, shape, and volume loading. Soft functional composites with programmable properties will be created through reconfigurable microstructures by controlling droplet inclusion shape and connectivity during processing. This project will provide insights on manufacturing and assembly of liquid structures within soft elastic films, introduce new directions to control material properties through reconfigurable liquid microstructures, and enable the design and manufacturing of materials for soft electronics and robots.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

该学院的早期职业发展（职业）资助支持研究以了解基本的加工-结构-性能关系，这些关系控制着液态金属基复合材料的连续制造和微观结构组装，以实现新型柔软、可变形和坚固的功能材料。由分散在弹性固体中的液态金属液滴组成的软功能复合材料在自修复和可拉伸电子产品、软机器人和便携式设备的热界面材料方面表现出了良好的能力。然而，这些复合材料通常是在单批次中制造的，这限制了可扩展性，并且加工依赖性和液态金属夹杂物在制造过程中如何变形和组装的潜在机制尚不清楚。这项研究将确定基本的夹杂物变形机制，并量化软复合材料中液态金属微观结构在加工过程中如何演变。这项研究有可能通过在加工过程中调整液态金属夹杂物形态，指导实现新的连续制造策略，以实现功能性软材料的精确和高度控制的机械、电学和热性能。通过这项研究获得的知识将使电子和机器人技术的未来创新成为可能，从而造福国民经济和社会。此外，该研究还与更广泛的外展计划和日间夏令营相结合，重点关注弗吉尼亚州西南部的第一代学生。该推广计划旨在吸引、激发和发展学生对制造、软电子和机器人技术的兴趣和技能，同时强调 STEM 职业选择。该研究的具体目标是确定加工依赖性、潜在机制和定量微观结构起源研究液态金属夹杂物如何在软固体中变形和组装。这是通过结合受控加工策略（例如薄膜压花、拉幅或拉伸以及卷对卷组装）与原位电气表征以及同步微纳米计算机断层扫描来实现的。这种方法通过弹性薄膜中液体微结构的机械诱导组装，提供了先进制造软复合材料所需的加工-结构-性能关系。该项目旨在确定基本的液态金属夹杂物变形机制以及随之而来的作为夹杂物尺寸、形状和体积载荷函数的微观结构。具有可编程特性的软功能复合材料将通过在加工过程中控制液滴夹杂物形状和连接性，通过可重构的微观结构来创建。该项目将提供有关软弹性薄膜内液体结构制造和组装的见解，引入通过可重构液体微结构控制材料性能的新方向，并实现软电子和机器人材料的设计和制造。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命和通过使用基金会的智力优点和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，该项目被认为值得支持。

项目成果

Electrically Conductive Liquid Metal Composite Adhesives for Reversible Bonding of Soft Electronics

• DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202304101
• 发表时间: 2023-07
• 期刊: Advanced Functional Materials
• 影响因子: 19
• 作者: A B M Tahidul Haque;D. Ho;Dohgyu Hwang;Ravi Tutika;Chanhong Lee;Michael D. Bartlett