FME talk: Shaping a Soft Future

By Prof. Michael Dickey 

Camille & Henry Professor, NC State University
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Dickey Group

Prof. M. Dickey will discuss several topics related to studying and harnessing soft materials within the context of creating devices with tissue like properties.

• Liquid metal: Gallium-based liquid metals are often overlooked despite their remarkable
  properties: melting points below room temperature, water-like viscosity, low-toxicity, and effectively zero vapor pressure. They also have, by far, the largest interfacial tension of any liquid at room temperature. These liquid metals can be patterned into non-spherical shapes (cones, wires, antennas) due to a thin, oxide skin that forms rapidly on its surface.
  
  
• Shape reconfiguration: Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of liquid metals it the ability to use interfacial electrochemistry chemistry to remove /deposit the oxide to manipulate the surface tension of the metal over unprecedented ranges (from the largest tension of any known liquid to near zero!). This allows manipulating the shape and position of the metal for shape reconfigurable devices.
  
  
• Ionogels: Soft materials that are tough (mechanically) are important for a number of applications, including encapsulation of devices. Recently, he discovered a simple way to create ultra-tough ionogels, which are polymer networks swollen with ionic liquids. These materials are tougher than cartilage and compatible with 3D printing.

This work has implications for soft and stretchable electronics; that is, devices with desirable mechanical properties for human-machine interfacing, soft robotics, and wearable electronics.

About the speaker

Michael Dickey received a BS in Chemical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology (1999) and a PhD from the University of Texas (2006) under the guidance of Professor Grant Willson. From 2006-2008 he was a post-doctoral fellow in the lab of Professor George Whitesides at Harvard University. He is currently the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Professor in the Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering at NC State University. He completed a sabbatical at Microsoft in 2016. Michael’s research interests include soft matter (liquid metals, gels, polymers) for soft and stretchable devices (electronics, energy harvesters, textiles and soft robotics).

Practical details

Online event
9 November 
15:30

Participation is free, but please confirm your attendance by November 8th 2023.