Open AccessThin Metal Films: A Method to Form Smooth Films of Liquid Metal Supported by Elastomeric Substrate (Adv. Sci. 10/2018)
Author(s) -
Hirsch Arthur,
Lacour Stéphanie P.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
advanced science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.388
H-Index - 100
ISSN - 2198-3844
DOI - 10.1002/advs.201870060
Subject(s) - gallium , materials science , elastomer , thin film , coalescence (physics) , metal , layer (electronics) , coating , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , substrate (aquarium) , composite material , metallurgy , oceanography , physics , astrobiology , geology , engineering
In article number 1800256 , Arthur Hirsch and Stéphanie P. Lacour engineer the surface chemistry and topography of silicone rubber (PDMS) with micro‐structured pillars and a gold pre‐coating layer to produce gallium super‐lyophilic substrates. Physical vapor deposition of gallium leads to the formation of smooth and homogeneous films by imbibition of the surface topography rather than coalescence and formation of gallium drops. By capillarity, gallium accumulates in between the pillars up to their top surface, forming a smooth film.