3D electronic stylus, orthopaedic consumables and equipment, smart glass display… Liquid metal, a new type of functional material full of sci-fi colors, is coming from laboratories and industrial bases to our daily life.
"The package feels very good and it is very light. If there is something wrong with the fixation, it can be corrected. This thing can be removed and used again." The 27-year-old Mr. Kong was injured and fractured his arm. After the operation at the First People's Hospital of Xuanwei City, Yunnan, he used An orthopedic external fixation brace (also known as an "exoskeleton") made of liquid metal is attached.
Kan Shuwen, director of the First Orthopedics Department of the First People's Hospital of Xuanwei City, said that the hospital only introduced "exoskeletons" this year. So far, dozens of cases have been tried out. , the image is very clear.
According to reports, the liquid metal orthopaedic external fixation brace is jointly developed by the team of YNYT Liquid Metal Technology Co., Ltd., YNKW Liquid Metal Valley R&D Co., Ltd., and Tsinghua Medical College/Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences. It is a series of liquid metal medical functional materials and accessories. The first class of medical devices with functions of fixation, support, protection and treatment shall be implemented by YNMT Medical Technology Co., Ltd.
"The liquid metal 'exoskeleton' is a low-temperature melting plastic material, which can achieve a better personalized fit with the patient's body. It has strong fixation, good toughness, easy disassembly, and can be reused." Zhang Yong said that "exoskeletons" can be used for fractures in many parts of the body, such as the cervical spine, shoulder joints, lumbar spine, and phalanges.
"By the end of 2021, related products have entered more than 50 hospitals across the country for trial, and more than 1,200 clinical trials have been completed." Xu Wenzhi, deputy general manager of YNYT, introduced that a production line of liquid metal orthopaedic external fixation braces with an annual output of 1 million pieces has been established. The orthopaedic external fixation brace industrialization project won the first prize in the 2021 "Yunnan Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition".
The reporter experienced a liquid metal "exoskeleton". Before heating, the flannel-wrapped sheet looks like a hard steel plate. After a few minutes of heating, the steel plate becomes kneadable, like a toy colored clay. Wear it on the wrist joint and squeeze it tightly. After a few minutes, it regains its hardness and wraps the wrist joint tightly, just like wearing an oversized sports wristband.
"'Exoskeleton' is an original breakthrough made by Liquid Metal in biomedical materials, and more than 130 specifications and types of products have been developed and produced," said YNYT Chairman Yang Yingbao.
The liquid metal "exoskeleton" project is only a representative of the application of liquid metal. According to reports, liquid metal is a large class of alloy materials, usually referring to low melting point alloys with a melting point of less than 300 degrees Celsius. It is liquid at room temperature or in working state, and has the characteristics of wide liquid temperature range, high thermal conductivity and good electrical conductivity. After nearly 20 years of unremitting efforts, the research team led by Tsinghua University professor Liu Jing, a double-appointed researcher at the Institute of Physics and Chemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has discovered a series of new scientific phenomena, fundamental effects and transformative application approaches for liquid metals.
"The manufacturing process of liquid metal does not require high-temperature smelting, is environmentally friendly and non-toxic, and can be widely used in industrial manufacturing, aerospace, military defense, biomedical, education and cultural creativity and other fields." Yang Yingbao said.
The tip of the pen walked on the paper and drew a silver-white circuit diagram-in the YNYT Liquid Metal Science and Technology Museum, the staff showed a magic pen to reporters. "Using liquid metal as ink to write a circuit board has good conductivity and simplicity." Yang Yingbao introduced that this liquid metal 3D electronic stylus is also one of the many applications of liquid metal.
3D electronic stylus, electronic ink, thermal conductive sheet, chip radiator, liquid metal photovoltaic shingled component, liquid metal LED smart glass screen… In the YNYT Liquid Metal Science and Technology Museum, there are a wide range of exhibits made of liquid metal, and the performance of many products makes visitors Those who tut amazed.
"Basic and applied research in the field of liquid metals has developed from an initial unpopular to a major international scientific and technological frontier that has attracted worldwide attention, with a wide range of influences," Liu Jing said.
Over the past few years, YNYT has invested a total of more than 340 million yuan to build a liquid metal series production line with an annual output of 200 tons, with more than 200 liquid metal formulas and more than 300 patents. In 2021, the output value of the liquid metal industry will exceed 500 million yuan.