journal article·2024-02

Liquid Metal Memory

Ruizhi Yuan, Yingjie Cao, Xiyu Zhu, Xiaohui Shan, Bo Wang, Hongzhang Wang, Sen Chen, Jing Liu

Advanced Materials· Volume 36· Issue 8
Publisher page

Abstract

Abstract Storage systems are vital components of electronic devices, while significant challenges persist in achieving flexible memory due to the limitations of existing storage methodologies. Inspired by the polarization and depolarization mechanisms in the human brain, here a novel class of storage principles is proposed and achieve a fully flexible memory through introducing the oxidation and deoxidation behaviors of liquid metals. Specifically, reversible electrochemical oxidation is utilized to modulate the overall conductivity of the target liquid metals, creating a substantial 11‐order resistance difference for binary data storage. To obtain the best storage performance, systematic optimizations of multiple parameters are conducted. Conceptual experiments demonstrate the memory's stability under extreme deformations (100% stretching, 180° bending, 360° twisting). Further tests reveal that the memory performs better when its unit size gets smaller, warranting superior integrability. Finally, a complete storage system achieves remarkable performance metrics, including rapid storage speed (>33 Hz), long data retention capacity (>43200 s), and stable repeatable operation (>3500 cycles). This groundbreaking method not only overcomes the inherent rigidity limitations of existing electronic storage units but also opens new possibilities for innovating neuromorphic devices, offering fundamental and practical avenues for future applications in soft robotics, wearable electronics, and bio‐inspired artificial intelligence systems.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Advanced Memory and Neural Computing · Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials · Ferroelectric and Negative Capacitance Devices

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Department of Biomedical Engineering School of Medicine Tsinghua University Beijing 100084 China

School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering Beihang University Beijing 100083 China

Center of Double Helix Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School Tsinghua University Shenzhen 518055 China

Institute for Frontier Science Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics Nanjing 210016 China

Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100190 China

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China · China Postdoctoral Science Foundation

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