Deformable Conductors and Related Sensors, Antennas and Multiplexed Systems

Abstract

A conducting shear thinning gel composition and methods of making such a composition are disclosed. The conducting shear thinning gel composition includes a mixture of a eutectic gallium alloy and gallium oxide, wherein the mixture of eutectic gallium alloy and gallium oxide has a weight percentage (wt %) of between about 59.9% and about 99.9% eutectic gallium alloy, and a wt % of between about 0.1% and about 2.0% gallium oxide. Also disclosed are articles of manufacture, comprising the shear thinning gel composition, and methods of making article of manufacture having a shear thinning gel composition. Also disclosed are sensors and multiplexed systems utilizing deformable conductors.

1 . A conducting shear thinning gel composition, comprising:
 a eutectic gallium alloy; and
 gallium oxide sheets distributed as microstructures within the gallium alloy, 
 wherein the mixture of eutectic gallium alloy and gallium oxide has a weight percentage (wt %) of between about 59.9% and about 99.9% eutectic gallium alloy, and a wt % of between about 0.1% and about 2.0% gallium oxide. 
   
     
     
         2 . The conducting shear thinning gel composition of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more micro-particles or sub-micron scale particles dispersed within the mixture, where the micro-particles have a wt % of between about 0.001% and about 40.0% of micro-particles in the composition. 
     
     
         3 . A method of making a conducting shear thinning gel composition, comprising:
 blending surface gallium oxides formed on a surface of a gallium alloy fluid into the bulk of the gallium alloy fluid by shear mixing of the surface oxide/alloy interface; and   inducing a cross linked microstructure in the surface oxides; thereby forming a conducting shear thinning gel composition.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , a mixture of a eutectic gallium alloy and gallium oxide, wherein the mixture of eutectic gallium alloy and gallium oxide has a weight percentage (wt %) of between about 59.9% and about 99.9% eutectic gallium alloy, a wt % of between about 0.1% and about 2.0% gallium oxide. 
     
     
         1 . A conducting shear thinning gel composition, comprising:
 a eutectic gallium alloy; and
 gallium oxide sheets distributed as microstructures within the gallium alloy, 
 wherein the mixture of eutectic gallium alloy and gallium oxide has a weight percentage (wt %) of between about 59.9% and about 99.9% eutectic gallium alloy, and a wt % of between about 0.1% and about 2.0% gallium oxide. 
   
     
     
         2 . The conducting shear thinning gel composition of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more micro-particles or sub-micron scale particles dispersed within the mixture, where the micro-particles have a wt % of between about 0.001% and about 40.0% of micro-particles in the composition. 
     
     
         3 . A method of making a conducting shear thinning gel composition, comprising:
 blending surface gallium oxides formed on a surface of a gallium alloy fluid into the bulk of the gallium alloy fluid by shear mixing of the surface oxide/alloy interface; and   inducing a cross linked microstructure in the surface oxides; thereby forming a conducting shear thinning gel composition.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , a mixture of a eutectic gallium alloy and gallium oxide, wherein the mixture of eutectic gallium alloy and gallium oxide has a weight percentage (wt %) of between about 59.9% and about 99.9% eutectic gallium alloy, a wt % of between about 0.1% and about 2.0% gallium oxide.