When immersed in an electrolyte, droplets of Ga‐based liquid metal (LM) alloy can be manipulated in ways not possible with conventional electrocapillarity or electrowetting. This study demonstrates how LM electrochemistry can be exploited to coalesce and separate droplets under moderate voltages of ~1–10 V. This novel approach to droplet interaction can be explained with a theory that accounts for oxidation and reduction as well as fluidic instabilities. Based on simulations and experimental analysis, this study finds that droplet separation is governed by a unique limit‐point instability that arises from gradients in bipolar electrochemical reactions that lead to gradients in interfacial tension. The LM coalescence and separation are used to create a field‐programmable electrical switch. As with conventional relays or flip‐flop latch circuits, the system can transition between bistable (separated or coalesced) states, making it useful for memory storage, logic, and shape‐programmable circuitry using entirely liquids instead of solid‐state materials.

中文翻译：

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液态金属现场控制电气开关

当浸入电解液中时，Ga基液态金属（LM）合金的液滴可以用传统的电毛细管作用或电润湿无法实现的方式进行处理。这项研究表明，在约1–10 V的中等电压下，如何利用LM电化学来凝聚和分离液滴。这种新颖的液滴相互作用方法可以用解释氧化和还原以及流体不稳定性的理论来解释。基于模拟和实验分析，本研究发现液滴分离受独特的极限点不稳定性的控制，该极限不稳定性是由双极性电化学反应中的梯度引起的，该梯度导致界面张力的梯度。LM合并和分离用于创建现场可编程的电气开关。与传统的继电器或触发器锁存电路一样，