Spontaneous and selective wetting of gallium-based liquid metal induced by imbibition
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Gallium-based liquid metals have been studied as a stretchable electronic pathway for various applications. Fabricating such devices through the deposition and patterning of the liquid metal requires understanding its wetting characteristics on underlying substrates. Herein, we present the spontaneous and complete wetting of eutectic Gallium-Indium liquid metal (EGaIn) on metallic surface with microstructures. The wetting of EGaIn is triggered upon exposure to HCl vapor, which removes the oxide skin of EGaIn, leading to reactive wetting on metallic surface. We numerically explain the wetting phenomenon based on the Wenzel’s model and imbibition process. It reveals that the dimensions of the microstructures are critical for imbibition-driven wetting. Further, we demonstrate the selective wetting of the liquid metal by forming and patterning the microstructured region on the metallic surface. The resulting patterns of the liquid metal maintain electrical connection even in a stretched state and after repetitive stretching cycles.