OXIDATION

Oxidation transforms metals into semiconducting metal oxides

DROPLETS

Droplets are capillary objects. Small volumes of liquid metals are very likely to form droplets owing to their high surface tension. These metallic droplets are often shielded by an easy-to-overlook thin oxide layer

METALLICS

Yes! We carry out metal-intensive research at the NPMM Lab. With a strong focus on liquid metals, our interest extends to metals and alloys in a more general context, metal derivatives (e.g., metal oxides), as well as other non-metallics processable using liquid metals

NEW PHASE

A new material phase - what we always look for in daily experiments! Figuratively, a new phase that transforms how we process and utilize metals and alloys

MANUFACTURING

Our advanced manufacturing practices combine cross-disciplinary methodologies to drive technological innovations. We aim to manipulate material structures and properties at the smallest possible scale while achieving large-scale, high-throughput production

APPLICATIONS

The application spectrum of our research broadly encompasses electronics, optoelectronics, thermal management, catalysis, and (bio)sensing

LIQUID METALS

A unique state of metallic matter that is easy melting, free flowing when melted, electrically/thermally conductive, atomically frustrated yet dynamic, and chemically active. These futuristic metallic liquids have surprising properties and behaviors that enable technologically important applications

INTERMETALLICS

Intermetallics, or intermetallic compounds, are binary or multinary metallic systems featuring well-defined long range order. There are virtually infinite possible combinations of intermetallics, with many still awaiting investigation

CRYSTAL GROWTH

Crystals grown in our lab have a strong metallic flavor. We use liquid metal solvents (fluxes) to grow crystals with well-controlled fine structures

PATTERN FORMATION

We leverage pattern formation—the dynamic, often autonomous, structural evolution process governed by physicochemical laws—in developmental material systems for structural design

WETTING & SPREADING

Contact-line configurations or motions determined by the relative surface (interface) energies of the contacting phases

ALLOYING/DEALLOYING

Performing addition/subtraction operations by forming, breaking or rearranging metallic bonds

PHASE TRANSFORMATION

Material phases can transform, under proper guidance, into ones with desired attribues

SPONTANEOUS PROCESS

A spontaneous process occurs when Gibbs (free energy) permits

SURFACE-CRETICAL PHENOMENA

A material’s surface can behave (e.g., melt, solidify, form structures, or react) rather differently compared to its bulk. This is particularly true when it comes to dynamic liquid metal systems

INTERMETALLIC WETTING

An irreversible wetting state resulting from the intimate (reactive) interfacial contact established by a suitable metallic liquid-solid couple, which often involves interdiffusion and new phase formation

Ordering

Catalysts

Thin Films

Electronics

Instabilities

Composites

Biosensing

Soft Matters

Gas Sensing

Surface Flows

Fluids & Flows

Optoelectronics

Electrochemistry

Self-Organization

Nanoporous Metals

Material Intelligence

Biomimetic Systems

Thermal Management

Nature-Inspired Design

Liquid Phase Processing

Thermal Interface Materials