The Suitability of 3-D Printed Eutectic Gallium-Indium Alloy as a Heating Element for Thermally Active Hydrogels

Authors

Charles Hamilton, University of WollongongFollow
Gursel Alici, University of WollongongFollow
Geoffrey M. Spinks, University of WollongongFollow
Marc in het Panhuis, University of WollongongFollow

RIS ID

116918

Publication Details

Hamilton, C., Alici, G., Spinks, G. & in het Panhuis, M. (2017). The Suitability of 3-D Printed Eutectic Gallium-Indium Alloy as a Heating Element for Thermally Active Hydrogels. MRS Advances, 2 (6), 335-340.

Abstract

We report the use of a novel extrusion tip that allows for the omnidirectional printing of eutectic gallium-indium (eGaIn) alloy onto the surface of hydrogel materials into complex 2-dimensional patterns. The use of these printed soft "wires" as an electrothermal heating element for soft robotics purposes was explored. Heating of the eGaIn structures encapsulated in an alginate/acrylamide ionic-covalent entanglement hydrogel was measured by a thermal imaging camera. It was determined that eGaIn is a suitable material for use in future soft robotics applications as an electrothermal heating element to actuate thermally responsive N-isoproylacrylamide hydrogels.

Grant Number

ARC/CE140100012