Flexible and Stretchable Liquid-Metal Microfluidic Electronics Using Directly Printed 3D Microchannel Networks

This paper describes a method for fabricating microfluidic electronics with 3D interconnected networks by direct ink writing (DIW)-based 3D printing. Existing 3D printing technologies have yet to simultaneously realize 1) direct printing of interconnected multilayered microchannels without supporting materials or post-processing and 2) integration of electronic elements with microchannels during the process of printing. This research aims to develop a method to fabricate support-free microchannels consisting of silicone sealant without the collapse of the extruded structure while integrating electronic elements during the fabrication by DIW. The injection of liquid metal into 3D-printed microchannels allows the formation of electrical connections between 3D conductive networks and the embedded electronic elements, enabling the fabrication of flexible and stretchable liquid metal antenna coils. To demonstrate a practical application, 1) a skin-attachable radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag using a commercial skin-adhesive plaster as a substrate and 2) free-standing flexible wireless light-emitting devices with a small footprint (21.4 mm x 15 mm) for potential implantable applications are produced. This technology will offer a new capability to realize the automated fabrication of stretchable printed circuits with 3D configuration of electrical circuits consisting of liquid metals. This study showcases a method to fabricate elastomeric 3D microchannel networks using direct ink writing 3D printing. The integration of electronic components within the microchannel, coupled with the injection of liquid metal into the coil-shaped multilayered microchannel, enables the fabrication of flexible and stretchable liquid metal antenna coils.image