Variable stiffness wires based on magnetorheological liquid metals

Magnetorheological fluid (MRF) has shown its great potential in the development of large mechanical devices, such as dampers, shock absorbers, rotary brakes, clutches, and prosthetic joints. Recently, more research focus been invested on using MRF to develop soft, stretchable, miniaturized devices with variable stiffness for realizing functionalities that cannot be achieved solid smart materials. Here, based liquid metal magnetoactive slurries (LMMS), a wire excellent electrical conductivity is demonstrated. Without exposure magnetic field, LMMS an extremely low stiffness, can easily stretched while maintaining conductivity. When applying becomes much stiffer retain shape even under load. The combination properties flexibility, high conductivity, harnessed make flexible gripper grasp objects various shapes. Moreover, by gallium instead alloys, tunable range significantly enhanced controlled both external fields temperature-induced phase change. presented applied electronics, soft robotics so on.