Abstract
Electrically actuated movement of liquid metals is quite promising in mechanical engineering and applied physics. However, little work has so far been performed on the effect of current polarity on the actuation of the eutectic gallium–indium (EGaIn) alloy moving on metal substrates. In this work, the spreading of EGaIn on copper (Cu) substrate under different direct-current (DC) polarities in the 0.5 mol/L NaOH solution was investigated, and the underlying mechanisms were addressed. When the Cu substrate was connected to cathode, the wetting was essentially attributed to the reduction in the oxidized surface of the Cu substrate; whereas, under the opposite polarity, the spreading was related to the tension gradient along the EGaIn–solution interface, which induced Marangoni flow, despite the fact that the EGaIn–Cu system was non-wetting in this case.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.