AEROSPACE ENGINEERING

Abstract

Room temperature liquid metal (LM) alloys, such as eutectic gallium-indium, have gained tremendous attention for their combination of high electrical and thermal conductivity, low viscosity, and nontoxicity. Efforts to incorporate these liquid conductors in wearables, soft robotics, and biomedical devices often involve methods to deposit or encapsulate the LM to maintain its functionality without leakage or smearing. In this talk, I will introduce liquid metal elastomer composites by discussing their synthesis methods and their intriguing solid-liquid interface, as well as presenting a modeling approach to predict their overall structural and functional properties. I will also highlight the 3D printing of LM-elastomer composites for stretchable thermoelectric generators and discuss the important role of device architecture in enhancing energy conversion. I will conclude my talk by demonstrating self-powered wearables with electrical self-healing and high damage tolerance to show their potential uses in both wearable devices and aerospace applications.

Speaker

Dr. Mohammad Malakooti

Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Washington – Seattle. He leads the iMatter Lab, a research group dedicated to creating materials that match the extraordinary adaptability, rich multi-functionality, and embodied intelligence of natural material systems. He received his Ph.D. at the University of Florida in 2015, had a Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Michigan (2015-2017), and was a Research Scientist at Carnegie Mellon University (2017-2019). Dr. Malakooti has published over 40 peer-reviewed articles in leading scientific journals. Additionally, he has been honored with several professional awards, including ASMEʼs Best Paper Award in 2016 and 2022, as well as the 2017 Outstanding Postdoctoral Fellow Award at the University of Michigan.