5-9. Creation of new liquid metal materials: frontiers of science, technology and industry therein

Jing Liu

Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University

Abstract: The room temperature liquid metal (LM) and its allied materials are a class of newly emerging diverse functional matters inherited with many fascinating properties. Such metals generally stay in liquid state at around room temperature and have pretty high evaporation point, very large electrical and thermal conductivities and could easily transit between solid and liquid states. Previously, perhaps due to that such materials’ scientific and practical values were not fully realized, many important behaviors and utilizations of liquid metals reserved unknown and investigations thus performed were unfortunately neglected for a very long time. In recent years, with tremendous breakthrough discoveries made on liquid metals, various exciting applications were initiated which further stimulate the creations of new materials that had never been anticipated before. This also leads to the coming of new scientific areas. It is also for such a reason, the latest achievements as made on liquid metals were ascribed as the second revolution for human being regarding metal utilization and practices. This talk is dedicated to briefly introduce several representative advancements in liquid metals. Typical materials, fundamental phenomena, matter behaviors and scientific discoveries lying behind will be interpreted. Following that, a series of key technological and industrial categories thus enabled will be illustrated which include: Liquid metal chip cooling and energy system, liquid metal printed electronics and 3D printing, liquid metal biomedical materials as well as liquid metal smart soft machines etc. Finally, historic science and basic strategy to propose and establish “The Liquid Metal Valley” at Yunnan Province, China and thus mold a brand new industry based on liquid metal matters were introduced. The core values to strengthen future endeavors on liquid metal material genome engineering and build up databases along this direction were summarized. Overall, liquid metals contain rather profound matter properties which clearly are appearing as a very promising and important frontier for science, technology and industry covering both fundamental and practical issues together. Discoveries thus obtained would serve as key engine to incubate disruptive technologies. Without any doubt, liquid metal science and technology will lead to pivotal progress of human civilization and thus change social production and life style. It is expected to generate big impact for China and the world to explore next generation revolutionary science, technology and industry. All the advancements involved are now witnessed in rapid progress.

Keywords: Liquid metal; Creation of new material; Data base; Matter genome; Disruptive technology; New industry

液态金属新材料创制：科学、技术与工业前沿

刘静

中国科学院理化技术研究所/清华大学医学院生物医学工程系

摘要：常温液态金属及其衍生材料是近年来一大类异军突起的种类繁多的新兴功能物质，已展现出诸多卓越的新奇材料特性，它们一般在常温下呈液态，具有沸点高、导电性强、热导率高、易于实现固液转换等特点。以往，由于这类物质的科学与应用价值未被充分认识到，其诸多属性和用途长期鲜为人知，相应探索在国内外长期处于沉寂。近年来，随着液态金属大量突破性发现的取得，催生出了一系列激动人心的重大应用方向，促成了许多前所未有的新材料的创制，也带动了若干新兴学科领域的建立和发展。也因如此，液态金属有关成果被认为是人类利用金属的第二次革命。本报告扼要介绍液态金属材料科学领域涌现出的若干代表性进展，涉及液态金属材料及其基础物质属性以及衍生出的有关科学问题，继而从这些材料特性出发讲解由此建立的若干关键科技与工业应用领域，如：液态金属芯片冷却与能源利用、液态金属印刷电子学与3D打印、液态金属生物材料学以及液态金属柔性智能机器学等方面的典型进展，并剖析相应发现与突破背后的科学规律；最后，介绍云南•中国液态金属谷提出的背景以及发展液态金属全新工业体系的基本思路，总结了推进液态金属材料基因工程研究与构建液态金属材料数据库的核心意义。总的说来，液态金属材料蕴藏着极为丰富的物质属性，是一个基础探索与实际应用交相辉映、极具发展前景的重大科学、技术与工业前沿。液态金属领域取得的一系列基础发现，正成为催生众多颠覆性技术的关键引擎，这一领域物质科学与材料技术研究可望显著推动人类物质文明进步及社会生产、生活方式的改变，对于中国乃至世界寻求下一代变革性科技与工业意义深远，相应发展方兴未艾。

关键词：液态金属；新材料创制；数据库；基因组；颠覆性技术；新工业