Autonomic restoration of electrical conductivity

Benjamin J Blaiszik; Sharlotte L B Kramer; Martha E Grady; David A McIlroy; Jeffrey S Moore; Nancy R Sottos; Scott R White

doi:10.1002/adma.201102888

Autonomic restoration of electrical conductivity

Adv Mater. 2012 Jan 17;24(3):398-401. doi: 10.1002/adma.201102888. Epub 2011 Dec 20.

Authors

Benjamin J Blaiszik¹, Sharlotte L B Kramer, Martha E Grady, David A McIlroy, Jeffrey S Moore, Nancy R Sottos, Scott R White

Affiliation

¹ Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1304 W. Green St. Urbana, IL 61801, USA.

PMID: 22183927
DOI: 10.1002/adma.201102888

Abstract

Self-healing of an electrical circuit is demonstrated with nearly full recovery of conductance less than one millisecond after damage. Crack damage breaks a conductive pathway in a multilayer device, interrupting electron transport and simultaneously rupturing adjacent microcapsules containing gallium-indium liquid metal (top). The released liquid metal flows to the area of damage, restoring the conductive pathway (bottom).

Keywords: electrical conductivity; microelectronics; self-healing materials; stimuli-responsive materials.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Electric Conductivity*
Electrical Equipment and Supplies
Mechanical Phenomena
Microfluidic Analytical Techniques
Temperature