title: Self-Actuation of Liquid Metal via Redox Reaction.
abstract: Presented here is a method for actuating a gallium-based liquid-metal alloy without the need for an external power supply. Liquid metal is used as an anode to drive a complementary oxygen reduction reaction, resulting in the spontaneous growth of hydrophilic gallium oxide on the liquid-metal surface, which induces flow of the liquid metal into a channel. The extent and duration of the actuation are controllable throughout the process, and the induced flow is both reversible and repeatable. This self-actuation technique can also be used to trigger other electrokinetic or fluidic mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: College of Engineering, University of Hawaii , 2540 Dole Street, Holmes Hall 483, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, United States.
authors.forename: Ryan C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Gough
authors.affiliation: College of Engineering, University of Hawaii , 2540 Dole Street, Holmes Hall 483, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, United States.
authors.forename: Jonathan H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Dang
authors.affiliation: College of Engineering, University of Hawaii , 2540 Dole Street, Holmes Hall 483, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, United States.
authors.forename: Matthew R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Moorefield
authors.affiliation: College of Engineering, University of Hawaii , 2540 Dole Street, Holmes Hall 483, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, United States.
authors.forename: George B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: College of Engineering, University of Hawaii , 2540 Dole Street, Holmes Hall 483, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, United States.
authors.forename: Lloyd H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Hihara
authors.affiliation: College of Engineering, University of Hawaii , 2540 Dole Street, Holmes Hall 483, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, United States.
authors.forename: Wayne A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Shiroma
authors.affiliation: College of Engineering, University of Hawaii , 2540 Dole Street, Holmes Hall 483, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, United States.
authors.forename: Aaron T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Ohta
keywords: autonomous motion; gallium alloys; galvanic cells; liquid metals; reconfigurable devices