Have you seen origami videos where the stop-motion effect makes the paper appear to be folding into beautiful shapes by itself? Scientists at Tsinghua University in China have made a breakthrough in the field of smart materials that might make this a reality.
The team developed a new liquid metal coating that can transform ordinary paper into self-adhesive gadgets capable of conducting heat and electricity. Although liquid metal is used in circuits and wearable sensors, the possibility of it being a coating has been unexplored until now.
The researchers successfully formulated a liquid alloy and applied it to paper using a stamping technique, eliminating the need for adhesives. This opens up new possibilities for creating lightweight, flexible smart objects and soft robots that can operate autonomously in various environments. The study, published in the journal Cell Reports Physical Science, examines the potential of liquid metal as a coating and its various applications.
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