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. Liquid metal 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! A transformative era reshaping how we process and utilize metals and alloys

APPLICATIONS

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-looking metallic liquids can have surprising properties and behaviors

INTERMETALLIC

A tale of long-range-order compound metals

MANUFACTURING

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

CRYSTAL GROWTH

Crystals grown in our lab have a strong metallic flavor. We use liquid metal solvents to grow crystals with well-defined phases and shapes

PATTERN FORMATION

A usually autonomous but describable structural evolution process in developmental material systems

WETTING & SPREADING

The dance of a liquid (metal) phase trying to balance the three-phase contact line

ALLOYING/DEALLOYING

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

PHASE TRANSFORMATION

The Times The Phases Are a-Changin

SPONTANEOUS PROCESSES

We are interested in (controlling) spontaneous processes such as phase transformation, oxidation, alloying, dealloying, wetting/spreading

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/REACTION

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

Ordering

Catalysts

Thin Films

Electronics

Instabilities

Composites

Bio Sensing

Soft Matters

Gas Sensing

Surface Flows

Fluids & Flows

Optoelectronics

Self-Assembling

Electrochemistry

Self-Organization

Nanoporous Metals

Material Intelligence

Biomimetic Systems

Thermal Management

Nature-Inspired Design

Liquid Phase Processing

Advanced Manufacturing

Thermal Interface Materials