Electromagnetic Three Dimensional Liquid Metal Manipulation

In this paper, we report three-dimensional (3-D) liquid metal manipulation using electromagnets, which can be applied to electrical switching applications. The liquid metal droplet was coated with iron (Fe) particles by chemical reaction with hydrochloric acid (HCl), and thus it became responsive to the magnetic field, becoming a magnetic liquid metal marble. Using electromagnets, the magnetic field was turned on and off on-demand. We investigated an average velocity and the maximum working distance of the horizontal and vertical electromagnetic field-driven manipulation of the magnetic liquid metal marble. Linear (1-D) and plane (2-D) manipulation of the marble was successfully demonstrated and 3-D manipulation was verified for electrical switching.