Study on the Electric Actuation of Liquid Metal Column in Confining System

Abstract

Abstract Research on micro-machines is becoming popular. In this paper, the electric driving behavior of liquid metal columns in confining channel was studied. When the electric field was applied, the liquid metal near the negative electrode became flat, longer. The NaOH electrolyte (1.0 mol/L) could flow from the positive electrode to the negative electrode from a small space above the liquid metal column. Besides, the length and volume of the liquid metal would affect its motion and deformation behavior. Both cylindrical liquid column (R = 5 mm, L = 5 cm) and linear liquid column (R = 5 mm, L = 40 cm) exhibit deformable movements, which are similar to the bionic movements of earthworms. The electrically driven liquid metal in closed systems could provide a theoretical basis for droplet actuation in microtubes. It has a very wide application prospect in the field of micro-drive machines.

Keywords

• Liquid metal
• Electric actuation
• Biomimetic
• Micromachines
• Motion