Application and application method of n-trihexadecane in anti-sticking isolation of liquid metal
By spraying hexadecane onto the surface of liquid metal packaging substrate to form an anti-stick layer, the problem of liquid metal sticking during transportation is solved, achieving low loss and stable transportation performance, and expanding its application in composite sheets.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202511215112.3
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-08-28
- Publication Date
- 2025-12-16
AI Technical Summary
Liquid metals are prone to sticking during production, transportation and packaging. Existing technologies have not effectively solved problems such as coating peeling and element segregation under high temperature and long service conditions, resulting in high losses. Moreover, existing silicon-based separators cannot meet the anti-sticking requirements of composite sheets.
Using hexadecane as an anti-sticking agent, it is melted and uniformly sprayed or rolled onto the surface of liquid metal packaging substrate to form a tightly packed anti-stick layer, reducing surface tension and friction coefficient, and preventing adhesion.
It effectively reduces the loss of liquid metal, prevents oxide adhesion, ensures stable performance during transportation and use, and expands the application of gallium-based liquid metal in composite sheets.
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of liquid metal anti-sticking technology, and in particular to the application and method of n-hexadecane in liquid metal anti-sticking and isolation. Background Technology
[0002] With the rapid development of flexible electronics, micro heat dissipation devices, and wearable devices, liquid metal, as an emerging material, has gradually come into our view in the past 5-10 years. Low-melting-point liquid metals such as gallium and bismuth-based alloys have become key materials due to their unique fluidity, high thermal conductivity, and electrical conductivity, showing strong application advantages in fields such as thermal control energy, additive manufacturing, biomedicine, and flexible intelligent machines. Especially in the field of thermal control, as a thermal interface material (alloys such as gallium, indium, and bismuth), liquid metal has high wettability on chip surfaces, which can significantly reduce the thermal resistance of interface gaps. However, during the production, transportation, and packaging of liquid metals, the extremely high surface energy of liquid metals and the oxides that easily form on their surfaces leads to a high degree of adhesion when liquid metal oxides come into contact with solid interfaces, resulting in significant losses. This has become a key technological bottleneck restricting its large-scale application. Existing solutions mostly focus on surface modification technologies (such as plasma spraying). While methods such as using an isolation layer or adjusting the composition (adding rare earth elements to reduce surface tension) can be employed, these approaches still face problems like coating peeling and elemental segregation under high-temperature, long-term service conditions. Additionally, liquid metal coating on composite sheet surfaces can achieve excellent electrical and thermal conductivity. However, due to the adhesive properties of the liquid metal, the coated composite sheet requires a high-efficiency release film to ensure stable transport and performance. Summary of the Invention
[0003] The features and advantages of the present invention are set forth in part in the description which follows, or may be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practicing the invention.
[0004] To overcome the problems of the prior art, the present invention provides an application of n-hexadecane in the anti-sticking and isolating of liquid metals, using n-hexadecane as an anti-sticking and isolating agent for liquid metals.
[0005] Preferably, the present invention also provides a method for using n-hexadecane in the anti-sticking and isolation of liquid metals, comprising the following steps: Melting: Cut n-hexadecane into small pieces and place them in a glass container, then place it in an oil bath. Preheat the oil bath to an initial temperature 10°C below the melting point, then slowly raise it to the target temperature to avoid local overheating. After the n-hexadecane melts, it will be a transparent or translucent liquid with no unmelted particles. Coating: Molten hexadecane is evenly sprayed onto the liquid metal packaging substrate and cooled to room temperature.
[0006] Preferably, the substrate is made of high-density polyethylene or polypropylene.
[0007] Preferably, the coating thickness is .
[0008] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: This invention utilizes the high flexibility and ductility of the molecules imparted by the long-chain structure of n-hexadecane, while simultaneously allowing the molecules to easily form a tight, ordered arrangement, such as a crystalline or layered structure, creating a smooth surface. This allows it to form a tightly packed, non-stick layer on the substrate surface, while possessing extremely low surface tension. Through spraying or roller coating processes, it is applied to the substrate surface, and after curing, forms a continuous film, reducing the coefficient of friction and improving the surface finish of the product. It also reduces the surface tension of liquid metal on its surface, reducing adhesion and thus minimizing liquid metal loss. In addition to its high release effect on gallium and bismuth-based liquid metals, this invention also exhibits excellent release properties on other liquid metals such as mercury and bismuth-based liquid metals.
[0009] Hexadecane exhibits excellent adhesion to non-polar substrates such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE). The anti-stick layer on the substrate surface not only provides superior anti-stick properties for liquid metal but also prevents powdering or flaking, thus avoiding impurities from contaminating the liquid metal and affecting its performance. Hexadecane has a melting point of 78°C, fully meeting the requirements for conventional transportation temperatures.
[0010] This invention solves the problem of release film isolation after liquid metal is coated on the surface of composite sheets. Due to the strong adhesion of liquid metal oxides, existing silicon-based release films cannot meet the anti-sticking requirements of liquid metal coated composite sheets, making it impossible to apply liquid metal to the surface of composite sheets. The new application of hexadecane fully meets the anti-sticking requirements and expands the new application of gallium-based liquid metal coating on composite sheets. Detailed Implementation
[0011] The embodiments of the present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to examples. These examples are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.
[0012] Example 1
[0013] This embodiment provides a method for using n-hexadecane in the anti-sticking and isolation of liquid metals, specifically including the following steps: Raw material preparation: hexadecane with a purity of 99% and propane with a purity of 99%; Melting: Cut n-hexadecane into small pieces and place them in a glass container, then place the container in an oil bath. Preheat the oil bath to an initial temperature 10°C below the melting point, then slowly raise it to the target temperature while stirring to avoid localized overheating. The molten n-hexadecane will be a transparent or translucent liquid, free of unmelted particles. The target temperature should be above the melting point of n-hexadecane (78°C), even if it is in a molten state.
[0014] Preparation before painting: Before coating, wipe the surface of the substrate with acetone, repeating at least 3 times to fully remove surface grease and dust; the substrate is made of high-density polyethylene or polypropylene.
[0015] Painting: Molten n-hexadecane was uniformly sprayed onto the inner wall of the treated liquid metal packaging bottle using a thermal spray gun. In this embodiment, the packaging bottle was made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and the spray thickness was controlled within [specific parameters]. Then, let it cool to room temperature to prepare multiple packaging bottles for later use.
[0016] Example 2
[0017] This embodiment uses the same application method as Embodiment 1, except that: In this embodiment, a roller coater with a heating function is used to coat molten n-hexadecane onto a polypropylene (PP) film, and the coating thickness is controlled at [specific thickness range]. Then let it cool to room temperature.
[0018] Adhesion test
[0019] The packaging bottles coated with hexadecane and the polypropylene (PP) film prepared in Examples 1 and 2 were cut into rectangles to obtain test piece A; the polypropylene film was also cut into rectangles of the same size to obtain test piece B. There were 10 test pieces A and 10 test pieces B.
[0020] Using a cross-cut scribing tool, vertically score a 10×10 grid on the coated surfaces of test pieces A and B, ensuring the blade penetrates the coating to the substrate. Clean up any debris from the scored areas. Apply transparent tape firmly to the grid area, pressing evenly with your fingers or an eraser to ensure full contact between the tape and the coating. After holding for 60-90 seconds, quickly peel off the tape at a 60° angle. Classified as 3B according to ASTM D3359.
[0021] Performance testing
[0022] Gallium-based liquid metal droplets were applied to the coating surfaces of test pieces A and B, respectively. After being tilted at 45°, the gallium-based liquid metal droplets completely slid off. The contact angles were measured to be >90° using a contact angle meter.
[0023] Vibration test: Both test piece A and test piece B were placed in a vibration system and subjected to an experiment conforming to GB / T 2423.10-2019 Environmental Testing for Electrical and Electronic Products - Sinusoidal Vibration. Test pieces A and B were weighed before and after the experiment. The weights of test pieces A and B did not change, indicating that the liquid metal adhesion ratio met the requirements.
[0024] This invention applies hexadecane to the anti-sticking and isolating properties of liquid metals. Utilizing the nonpolar molecular structure of hexadecane, it possesses low surface energy, effectively repelling polar or nonpolar substances such as water, oil, and colloids. This forms an anti-stick surface similar to the "lotus leaf effect." Furthermore, due to its strong chemical inertness and stability, it does not readily react with acids, alkalis, salts, or other chemicals. It is not easily oxidized or degraded at room temperature, maintaining its anti-sticking properties for a long time. Liquid metals and their oxides readily adhere to solid surfaces. However, the substrate surface treated with hexadecane effectively inhibits this adhesion. Currently, there are no commercially available anti-sticking release agents specifically designed for liquid metals. During production, transportation, and packaging, a large amount of liquid metal oxide remains. The application of this invention suppresses the tendency of liquid metals and their oxides to adhere to substrates, reducing liquid metal loss.
[0025] The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above. Those skilled in the art can implement the present invention in various modifications without departing from its scope and spirit. For example, a feature shown or described in one embodiment can be used in another embodiment to obtain yet another embodiment. The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. All equivalent changes made based on the content of this specification are included within the scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. An application of n-hexadecane in preventing sticking and isolating liquid metals, characterized in that, Hexadecane was used as an anti-sticking and isolating agent for liquid metals.
2. A method for applying n-hexadecane in the prevention and isolation of liquid metal adhesion, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Melting: Cut n-hexadecane into small pieces and place them in a glass container, then place it in an oil bath. Preheat the oil bath to an initial temperature 10°C below the melting point, then slowly raise it to the target temperature to avoid local overheating. After the n-hexadecane melts, it will be a transparent or translucent liquid with no unmelted particles. Coating: Molten hexadecane is evenly sprayed onto the liquid metal packaging substrate and cooled to room temperature.
3. The method for applying n-hexadecane in the anti-sticking and isolation of liquid metals according to claim 2, characterized in that, The substrate is made of high-density polyethylene or polypropylene.
4. The method for applying n-hexadecane in the anti-sticking and isolation of liquid metals according to claim 2, characterized in that, The coating thickness is .