Highly stretchable sandwich-architected liquid metal/elastomer film with robust leakage resistance for electromagnetic shielding and dual-mode thermal management

doi:10.1016/j.jmst.2025.11.010

Abstract

Abstract: The development of multifunctional robot skin materials capable of integrating stretchable electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and dual-mode thermal management has become increasingly important, driven by rapid advances in robotics technology. Inspired by Sandwich, this study develops a highly stretchable liquid metal (LM)/thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) film with strong interfacial adhesion through thermally laminating a triple-layer architecture, characterized by a conductive TPU/LM core sandwiched between two porous TPU films formed via non-solvent-induced phase separation. The sandwich-structured film exhibits robust resistance to LM leakage and retains electrical insulation on both its surface and throughout its thickness. The synergy of porous TPU films and conductive TPU/LM core not only provides high solar reflectivity (∼84 %) and mid-infrared emissivity (∼92 %) for efficient strain-insensitive radiative cooling, but also delivers superior stretchable EMI shielding performance (> 30 dB under 400 % uniaxial or 576 % biaxial strain), along with efficient low-voltage Joule heating capability even under stretching. With these combined capabilities in stretchable EMI shielding and dual-mode thermal management (radiative cooling and Joule heating), the fabricated film demonstrates strong potential for multifunctional robot skin applications.

Key words: Sandwich-inspired film, Liquid metal, EMI shielding, Radiative cooling, Joule heating

Wenhua Zhou, Jingjie Hu, Tairong Kuang, Wenge Zheng, Bin Shen. Highly stretchable sandwich-architected liquid metal/elastomer film with robust leakage resistance for electromagnetic shielding and dual-mode thermal management[J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2026, 264: 62-69.

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