Title :
Characterization of liquid-metal Galinstan® for droplet applications
Author :
Liu, Tingyi Leo ; Sen, Prosenjit ; Kim, Chang-Jin CJ
Author_Institution :
Univ. of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), CA, USA
Abstract :
We report our characterization of nontoxic liquid-metal alloy Galinstan® on its potential for substituting mercury droplets in miniature devices. To combat the super fast oxidation, which has been hindering the studies of Galinstan® our entire experiments are performed in a nitrogen-filled glove box. Galinstan® droplets are found to behave like a true liquid, indicating a good liquid-air interface, only if the oxygen traces stay below 1 ppm. Surface tension of Galinstan® is measured to be 534.6±±10.7 mN/m in nitrogen at 28°C using a pendant drop method. Advancing/receding contact angles on glass and Teflon surfaces are found to be 146.8°/121.5° and 161.2°/144.4°, respectively. The electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD) mechanism of Galinstan® is also demonstrated.
Keywords :
contact angle; eutectic alloys; gallium alloys; indium alloys; liquid metals; surface tension; tin alloys; wetting; GaInSn; SiO2; contact angles; dielectric mechanism; droplet applications; electrowetting; liquid metal Galinstan; liquid-air interface; mercury droplets; nitrogen-filled glove box; oxidation; pendant drop method; surface tension; temperature 28 degC; Bonding; Dielectric measurements; Difference equations; Gallium alloys; Glass; Gravity; Micromechanical devices; Nitrogen; Oxidation; Surface tension;
Conference_Titel :
Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS), 2010 IEEE 23rd International Conference on
Conference_Location :
Wanchai, Hong Kong
Print_ISBN :
978-1-4244-5761-8
Electronic_ISBN :
1084-6999
DOI :
10.1109/MEMSYS.2010.5442440
