Optimization of Nickel Contents for Ni-Based Liquid Metal Strain Sensors

Jing Zhang; Xiaoyang Zou; Ziqi Li; Colin Pak Yu Chan; King Wai Chiu Lai

doi:10.1109/NANOMED68094.2025.11431446

Optimization of Nickel Contents for Ni-Based Liquid Metal Strain Sensors

Jing Zhang
, Xiaoyang Zou
, Ziqi Li
, Colin Pak Yu Chan
, King Wai Chiu Lai^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapters, Conference Papers, Creative and Literary Works › RGC 32 - Refereed conference paper (with host publication) › peer-review

Abstract

Liquid metals (LM) exhibit high electrical conductivity and excellent ductility, making them highly promising for applications in flexible, stretchable, and wearable sensors. This paper proposes a novel method to overcome the challenge of patterning liquid metals on flexible substrates, which is hindered by their high surface tension. By adding Ni particles to the LM, the surface tension is reduced while maintaining its flowability, enabling easy patterning on flexible substrates. When 12 wt.% Ni (40 μm) is added to LM, a gauge factor (GF) of 5.17 can be achieved at 300%. In addition, the mechanism analysis of different GF resulting from varying Ni contents from 0 to 20 wt.% was investigated. The strain sensor with a Ni content of 12 wt.% was subjected to a cyclic performance test of 1000 cycles at 150% strain. The strain sensor proposed in this paper, which adopts a magnet-patterned LM structure, has significant application potential in the field of wearable robots. © 2025 IEEE.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of the 18th IEEE International Conference on Nano/Molecular Medicine & Engineering
Publisher	IEEE
Pages	64-68
Number of pages	5
ISBN (Electronic)	979-8-3315-6009-6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/NANOMED68094.2025.11431446
Publication status	Published - Dec 2025
Event	18th IEEE International Conference on Nano/Molecular Medicine and Engineering (IEEE-NANOMED 2025) - Hong Kong, China Duration: 1 Dec 2025 → 4 Dec 2025 https://ieee-nanomed.org/2025/

Publication series

Name	IEEE International Conference on Nano/Molecular Medicine and Engineering, NANOMED
ISSN (Print)	2159-6964
ISSN (Electronic)	2159-6972

Conference

Conference	18th IEEE International Conference on Nano/Molecular Medicine and Engineering (IEEE-NANOMED 2025)
Abbreviated title	NANOMED 2025
Place	China
City	Hong Kong
Period	1/12/25 → 4/12/25
Internet address	https://ieee-nanomed.org/2025/

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Zhang, J., Zou, X., Li, Z., Chan, C. P. Y., & Lai, K. W. C. (2025). Optimization of Nickel Contents for Ni-Based Liquid Metal Strain Sensors. In Proceedings of the 18th IEEE International Conference on Nano/Molecular Medicine & Engineering (pp. 64-68). (IEEE International Conference on Nano/Molecular Medicine and Engineering, NANOMED). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/NANOMED68094.2025.11431446

@inproceedings{8906f9c07191476eb746f7bcc0cb97e6,

title = "Optimization of Nickel Contents for Ni-Based Liquid Metal Strain Sensors",

abstract = "Liquid metals (LM) exhibit high electrical conductivity and excellent ductility, making them highly promising for applications in flexible, stretchable, and wearable sensors. This paper proposes a novel method to overcome the challenge of patterning liquid metals on flexible substrates, which is hindered by their high surface tension. By adding Ni particles to the LM, the surface tension is reduced while maintaining its flowability, enabling easy patterning on flexible substrates. When 12 wt.\% Ni (40 μm) is added to LM, a gauge factor (GF) of 5.17 can be achieved at 300\%. In addition, the mechanism analysis of different GF resulting from varying Ni contents from 0 to 20 wt.\% was investigated. The strain sensor with a Ni content of 12 wt.\% was subjected to a cyclic performance test of 1000 cycles at 150\% strain. The strain sensor proposed in this paper, which adopts a magnet-patterned LM structure, has significant application potential in the field of wearable robots. {\textcopyright} 2025 IEEE.",

author = "Jing Zhang and Xiaoyang Zou and Ziqi Li and Chan, \{Colin Pak Yu\} and Lai, \{King Wai Chiu\}",

year = "2025",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1109/NANOMED68094.2025.11431446",

language = "English",

series = "IEEE International Conference on Nano/Molecular Medicine and Engineering, NANOMED",

publisher = "IEEE",

pages = "64--68",

booktitle = "Proceedings of the 18th IEEE International Conference on Nano/Molecular Medicine \& Engineering",

address = "United States",

note = "18th IEEE International Conference on Nano/Molecular Medicine and Engineering (IEEE-NANOMED 2025), NANOMED 2025 ; Conference date: 01-12-2025 Through 04-12-2025",

url = "https://ieee-nanomed.org/2025/",

}

Zhang, J , Zou, X , Li, Z , Chan, CPY & Lai, KWC 2025, Optimization of Nickel Contents for Ni-Based Liquid Metal Strain Sensors. in Proceedings of the 18th IEEE International Conference on Nano/Molecular Medicine & Engineering. IEEE International Conference on Nano/Molecular Medicine and Engineering, NANOMED, IEEE, pp. 64-68, 18th IEEE International Conference on Nano/Molecular Medicine and Engineering (IEEE-NANOMED 2025), Hong Kong, China, 1/12/25. https://doi.org/10.1109/NANOMED68094.2025.11431446

Optimization of Nickel Contents for Ni-Based Liquid Metal Strain Sensors. / Zhang, Jing ; Zou, Xiaoyang ; Li, Ziqi et al.
Proceedings of the 18th IEEE International Conference on Nano/Molecular Medicine & Engineering. IEEE, 2025. p. 64-68 (IEEE International Conference on Nano/Molecular Medicine and Engineering, NANOMED).

Research output: Chapters, Conference Papers, Creative and Literary Works › RGC 32 - Refereed conference paper (with host publication) › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Optimization of Nickel Contents for Ni-Based Liquid Metal Strain Sensors

AU - Zhang, Jing

AU - Zou, Xiaoyang

AU - Li, Ziqi

AU - Chan, Colin Pak Yu

AU - Lai, King Wai Chiu

PY - 2025/12

Y1 - 2025/12

N2 - Liquid metals (LM) exhibit high electrical conductivity and excellent ductility, making them highly promising for applications in flexible, stretchable, and wearable sensors. This paper proposes a novel method to overcome the challenge of patterning liquid metals on flexible substrates, which is hindered by their high surface tension. By adding Ni particles to the LM, the surface tension is reduced while maintaining its flowability, enabling easy patterning on flexible substrates. When 12 wt.% Ni (40 μm) is added to LM, a gauge factor (GF) of 5.17 can be achieved at 300%. In addition, the mechanism analysis of different GF resulting from varying Ni contents from 0 to 20 wt.% was investigated. The strain sensor with a Ni content of 12 wt.% was subjected to a cyclic performance test of 1000 cycles at 150% strain. The strain sensor proposed in this paper, which adopts a magnet-patterned LM structure, has significant application potential in the field of wearable robots. © 2025 IEEE.

AB - Liquid metals (LM) exhibit high electrical conductivity and excellent ductility, making them highly promising for applications in flexible, stretchable, and wearable sensors. This paper proposes a novel method to overcome the challenge of patterning liquid metals on flexible substrates, which is hindered by their high surface tension. By adding Ni particles to the LM, the surface tension is reduced while maintaining its flowability, enabling easy patterning on flexible substrates. When 12 wt.% Ni (40 μm) is added to LM, a gauge factor (GF) of 5.17 can be achieved at 300%. In addition, the mechanism analysis of different GF resulting from varying Ni contents from 0 to 20 wt.% was investigated. The strain sensor with a Ni content of 12 wt.% was subjected to a cyclic performance test of 1000 cycles at 150% strain. The strain sensor proposed in this paper, which adopts a magnet-patterned LM structure, has significant application potential in the field of wearable robots. © 2025 IEEE.

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Y2 - 1 December 2025 through 4 December 2025

ER -

Optimization of Nickel Contents for Ni-Based Liquid Metal Strain Sensors

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