High-resolution liquid metal–based stretchable electronics enabled by colloidal self-assembly and microtransfer printing

Abstract

Liquid metal–based stretchable electronics offer high electrical performance and seamless integration with deformable systems but face challenges in achieving scalable, high-resolution patterning. In this work, we present a method for micropatterning liquid metal particle (LMP) films with feature sizes as small as 5 micrometers by integrating electrostatically enabled colloidal self-assembly and microtransfer printing. The resulting cold-welded LMP micropatterns exhibit exceptional electromechanical properties, high conductivity (2.4 × 10 6 siemens per meter), stretchability (more than 1200%), and strain- and pressure-insensitive resistance, owing to their multiscale and dynamic morphologies. Demonstrations in highly stretchable strain sensors and cardiac mapping devices highlight the capabilities of this method for creating high-performance, highly stretchable electronic systems. Notably, balloon catheter–integrated LMP microelectrode arrays show low impedance under extreme deformations and enable high-resolution endocardial electrogram mapping inside the human heart. This method expands the potential of liquid metal–based stretchable electronics for a wide range of applications, including implantable biomedical devices and soft robotics.