Fluorescent Liquid Metal As a Transformable Biomimetic Chameleon

Abstract

Liquid metal (LM) is of core interest for a wide variety of newly emerging areas. However, the functional materials thus made so far by LM only could display a single silver-white appearance. In this study, colorful LM marbles working like a transformable biomimetic robot were proposed for the first time and fabricated from LM droplets through encasing them with fluorescent nanoparticles. We demonstrated that this unique LM marble can be manipulated into various stable magnificent appearances as one desires and then split and merge among different colors. Such multifunctional LM is capable of responding to the outside electric stimulus and realizing shape transformation and discoloration behaviors as well. Furthermore, the electric stimuli has been successfully introduced to trigger the release of nano/microparticles from the LM, and the mechanism lying behind was clarified. The present fluorescent LM was expected to offer important opportunities for diverse applications, especially in a wide range of functional smart material areas.