The Dickey group is studying new ways to pattern, actuate, and control soft materials (gels, polymers, liquid metals). A common theme of our projects is the importance of thin films, interfacial phenomena, and microfabrication. Our approach is to (i) elucidate the fundamental properties of materials such that they can be harnessed in a useful manner, and (ii) develop new, unconventional approaches to fabricate, actuate, and assemble these materials. Applications of the research include patterning, 3D printing, stretchable / soft electronics, self-folding, actuation of soft robotics, wearable electronics, energy harvesting devices, reconfigurable circuits, and microfluidics.. We are also interested in photo-curable polymeric materials, particularly those used in both photo- and imprint lithography. The properties (curing speed, sensitivity, elemental composition, dielectric constant, mechanical properties, viscosity, etc.) of these materials must be tailored and optimized depending on the application. Education BS, Chemical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology (1999) MS, Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin (2003) PhD, Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin (2006) Post-Doctoral Fellow, Chemistry, Harvard University (2006-2008)

Focus Areas – Soft Materials, Interfaces, Microfabrication, Liquid Metals, Polymers / Gels, Stretchable & Wearable Electronics, Energy Harvesting, Soft Robots.

Ambient printing of native oxides for ultrathin transparent flexible circuit boards. Minsik Kong, Man Hou Vong, Mingyu Kwak, Ighyun Lim, Younhyee Lee, Seong-Hun Lee, Insang You, Omar Awartani, Jimin Kwon, Tae Joo Shin, Unyong Jeong, Michael D. Dickey (2024) Science Five-for-five: Highlights from five recent noteworthy papers on ionogels. Meixiang Wang, Michael D. Dickey (2024) Journal of Materials Research (MRS Distinguished Speaker series) Capillary-osmotic wearable patch based on lateral flow assay for sweat potassium analysis. Sneha Mukherjee, Sabrina Pietrosemoli Salazar, Tamoghna Saha, Michael D. Dickey, Orlin D. Velev (2024) Sensors & Actuators: B Chemical Glassy gels toughened by solvent. Meixiang Wang, Xun Xiao, Salma Siddika, Mohammad Shamsi, Ethan Frey, Wen Qian, Wubin Bai, Brendan T. O’Connor, Michael D. Dickey (2024) Nature. Protocol for 3D and 4D printing of highly conductive metallic composite using liquid metal gels. Ruizhe Xing, Renliang Huang, Wei Qi, Jie Kong, Michael D. Dickey (2024) Star Protocols Liquid Metal Nanoparticles Physically Hybridized with Cellulose Nanocrystals Initiate and Toughen Hydrogels with Piezoionic Properties. Pooria Rahmani, Akbar Shojaei, Tushar Sakorikar, Meixiang Wang, Yuniva Mendoza-Apodaca, Michael D. Dickey (2024) ACS Nano Injection Molding of Liquid Metal by Harnessing Nonstick Molds. Jinwoo Ma, Dhwanil P. Vaghani, Sooik Im, Minsik Kong, Mohammad Shamsi, Shuzhen Wei, Man Hou Vong. Michael D. Dickey (2024) ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces A Guide to Printed Stretchable Conductors. Tushar Sakorikar, Nikolas Mihaliak, Febby Krisnadi, Jinwoo Ma, Tae-il Kim, Minsik Kong, Omar Awartani, Michael D Dickey (2024) Chemical Reviews Printable Liquid Metal Foams That Grow When Watered. Febby Krisnadi, Seoyeon Kim, Sooik Im, Dennis Chacko, Man Hou Vong, Konrad Rykaczewski, Sungjune Park, Michael D Dickey (2024) Advanced Materials A soft magnetoelectric finger for robots’ multidirectional tactile perception in non-visual recognition environments. Yizhou Xu, Shanfei Zhang, Shuya Li, Zhenhua Wu, Yike Li, Zhoufan Li, Xiaojun Chen, Congcan Shi, Peng Chen, Pengyu Zhang, Michael D Dickey, Bin Su (2024) NPJ Flexible Electronics Liquid Metal-Based Biosensors: Fundamentals and Applications. Sina Jamalzadegan, Sooyoung Kim, Noor Mohammad, Harshita Koduri, Zach Hetzler, Giwon Lee, Michael D Dickey, Qingshan Wei (2024) Advanced Functional Materials Harvesting and manipulating sweat and interstitial fluid in microfluidic devices. Tamoghna Saha, Sneha Mukherjee, Michael D Dickey, Orlin D Velev (2024) Lab on a Chip Emerging applications of touch ionogels. Mixing Wang, Jian Hu, Michael D Dickey (2023) NPG Asia Materials Enhanced Triboelectric Charge Stability by Air-Stable Radicals. Sooik Im, Ethan Frey, Daniel J Lacks, Jan Genzer, Michael D Dickey (2023) Advanced Science Functional heterophasic liquid metals. Yan Peng, Yumeng Xin, Jiuyang Zhang, Michael D Dickey, Quan Li (2023) Responsive Materials Metallic gels for conductive 3D and 4D printing. Ruizhe Xing, Jiayi Yang, Dongguang Zhang, Wei Gond, Taylor V Neumann, Meixiang Wang, Renliang Huang, Jie Kong, Wei Qi, Michael D Dickey (2023) Matter Shaping a soft future: patterning liquid metals. Jinwoo Ma, Febby Krisnadi, Man Hou Vong, Minsik Kong, Omar M Awartani, Michael D Dickey (2023) Advanced Materials An atomically smooth container: Can the native oxide promote supercooling of liquid gallium?. Ishan D Joshipura, Chung Kim Nguyen, Colette Quinn, Jiayi Yang, Daniel H Morales, Erik Santiso, Torben Daeneke, Vi Khanh, Michael D Dickey (2023) Iscience Liquid Metal Coated Textiles with Autonomous Electrical Heating and Antibacterial Properties. Miami Yang, Praneshnandan Nithyanandam, Shreyas Kanetkar, Ki Yoon Kwon, Jinwoo Ma, Sooik Im, Ji-Hyun Oh, Mohammad Shamsi, Mike Wilkins, Michael Daniele, Tae-il Kim, Huu Ngo Nguyen, Vi Khanh Truong, Michael D Dickey (2023) Advanced Materials Technologies Stretchable liquid metal films with high surface area and strain invariant resistance. Veenasri Vallem, Vidushi Agarwal, Michael D Dickey (2023) Advanced Science Materials Technologies Liquid Metal-based soft, hermetic, and wireless-communicable seals for stretchable systems. Qingchen Shen, Modi Jiang, Ruitong Wang, Kexian Song, Man Hou Vong, Woojin Jung, Febby Krisnadi, Ruyu Kan, Feiyu Zheng, Benwei Fu, Peng Tao, Chengyi Song, Gouging Weng, Bo Peng, Jun Wang, Wen Shang, Michael D Dickey, Tao Deng (2023) Science Compositional Design of Surface Oxides in Gallium–Indium Alloys. Zachary J Farrell, Alan R Jacob, Vi Khanh Truong, Aaron Elbourne, Wilson Kong, Lilian Hsiao, Michael D Dickey, Christopher Tabor (2023) Chemistry of Materials Flexible-to-Stretchable Mechanical and Electrical Interconnects. Steven Erlenbach, Kunal Mondal, Jinwoo Ma, Taylor V Neumann, Siyuan Ma, James D Holbery, Michael D Dickey (2023) ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces Breathable Encapsulated Liquid Metal Foam‐Based Soft Stress Sensor. Jin Xu, Zhimin Wang, Xinxin Wang, Yali Wu, Ruizhe Xing, Tingting Yu, Yang Li, Jinping Ao, Yebo Tao, Bowen Bai, Michael D Dickey, Dongguang Zhang, Jiayi Yang (2023) Advanced Materials Technologies Intrinsically stretchable ionoelastomer junction logic gate synchronously deformable with liquid metal. Seung Won Lee, Jihye Jang, Yeonji Kim, Seokyeong Lee, Kyuho Lee, Hyowon Han, Hyeokjung Lee, Jin Woo Oh, Hoyeon Kim, Taebin Kim, Michael D Dickey, Cheolmin Park (2022) Applied Physics Reviews Stretchable Liquid Metal Films with High Surface Area and Strain Invariant Resistance. Veenasri Vallem, Vidushi Aggarwal, Michael D Dickey (2022) Advanced Materials Technologies Tough Ionogels: Synthesis, Toughening Mechanisms, and Mechanical Properties─ A Perspective. Meixiang Wang, Jian Hu, Michael D Dickey (2022) JACS Au Segregated and Non‐Settling Liquid Metal Elastomer via Jamming of Elastomeric Particles. Xiaoting Xue, Dongguang Zhang, Yali Wu, Ruizhe Xing, Hong Li, Tingting Yu, Bowen Bai, Yebo Tao, Michael D Dickey, Jiayi Yang (2022) Advanced Functional Materials Mechanism of Oil-in-Liquid Metal Emulsion Formation. Najam Ul Hassan Shah, Shreyas Kanetkar, Aastha Uppal, Michael D Dickey, Robert Y Wang, Konrad Rykaczewski (2022) Langmuir A Soft Wearable Microfluidic Patch with Finger-Actuated Pumps and Valves for On-Demand, Longitudinal, and Multianalyte Sweat Sensing. Navya Mishra, Nate T Garland, Krystyn A Hewett, Mohammad Shamsi, Michael D Dickey, Amay J Bandodkar (2022) ACS sensors Laser-Induced Graphene from SU-8 Photoresist: Toward Functional Micromolding. Adam L Bachmann, Alan L Ferris, Sooik Im, Michael D Dickey, Nathan Lazarus (2022) ACS Applied Engineering Materials Enhancement of Pressure‐Sensitive Adhesive by CO2 Laser Treatment. Yegor Piskarev, Etienne Desbouis, Vivek Ramachandran, Jiayi Yang, Neil Baugh, Jun Shintake, Michael D Dickey, Dario Floreano (2022) Advanced Engineering Materials Reprogrammable Self-Folding Thermoplastic Sheets Using Elastic Filaments. Duncan Davis, Russell Mailen, Elton Luong, Alan Russell, Michael D Dickey, Jan Genzer (2022) ACS Applied Engineering Materials Shaping A Soft Future: Patterning Liquid Metals. Jinwoo Ma, Febby Krisnadi, Man Hou Vong, Minsik Kong, Omar M Awartani, Michael D Dickey (2022) Advanced Materials Imbibition-induced selective wetting of liquid metal. Ji-Hye Kim, Sooyoung Kim, Hyeonjin Kim, Sanghyuk Wooh, Jiung Cho, Michael D Dickey, Ju-Hee So, Hyung-Jun Koo (2022) Nature Communications Liquid-Metal-Coated Magnetic Particles toward Writable, Nonwettable, Stretchable Circuit Boards, and Directly Assembled Liquid Metal-Elastomer Conductors. Seoyeon Kim, Sihyun Kim, Kyeongmin Hong, Michael D Dickey, Sungjune Park (2022) ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces Scalable and reconfigurable green electronic textiles with personalized comfort management. Wei Gong, Yang Guo, Weifeng Yang, Zhihua Wu, Ruizhe Xing, Jin Liu, Wei Wei, Jie Zhou, Yinben Guo, Kerui Li, Chengyi Hou, Yaogang Li, Qinghong Zhang, Michael D Dickey, Hongzhi Wang (2022) ACS nano A Superconducting‐Material‐Based Maglev Generator Used for Outer‐Space. Zheng Ma, Qi Wang, Zhenhua Wu, Dezhi Chen, Chunze Yan, Yusheng Shi, Michael D Dickey, Bin Su (2022) Advanced Materials Wireless wearable electrochemical sensing platform with zero-power osmotic sweat extraction for continuous lactate monitoring. Tamoghna Saha, Tanner Songkakul, Charles T Knisely, Murat A Yokus, Michael A Daniele, Michael D Dickey, Alper Bozkurt, Orlin D Velev (2022) ACS sensors A bottom-up approach to generate isotropic liquid metal network in polymer-enabled 3D thermal management. Shen Chen, Wenkui Xing, Han Wang, Weizheng Cheng, Zhihui Lei, Feiyu Zheng, Peng Tao, Wen Shang, Benwei Fu, Chengyi Song, Michael D Dickey, Tao Deng (2022) Chemical Engineering Journal Healable, Recyclable, and Multifunctional Soft Electronics Based on Biopolymer Hydrogel and Patterned Liquid Metal. Xing Peng Hao, Chuan Wei Zhang, Xin Ning Zhang, Li Xin Hou, Jian Hu, Michael D Dickey, Qiang Zheng, Zi Liang Wu (2022) Small Skin‐Inspired Capacitive Stress Sensor with Large Dynamic Range via Bilayer Liquid Metal Elastomers. Jiayi Yang, Ki Yoon Kwon, Shreyas Kanetkar, Ruizhe Xing, Praneshnandan Nithyanandam, Yang Li, Woojin Jung, Wei Gong, Mary Tuman, Qingchen Shen, Meixiang Wang, Tushar Ghosh, Kony Chatterjee, Xinxin Wang, Dongguang Zhang, Tae‐il Kim, Vi Khanh Truong, Michael D Dickey (2022) Advanced Materials Technologies Liquid Metal Interdigitated Capacitive Strain Sensor with Normal Stress Insensitivity. Dongguang Zhang, Jie Zhang, Yali Wu, Xiaoyan Xiong, Jiayi Yang, Michael D Dickey (2022) Advanced Intelligent Systems Self-Folding PCB Kirigami: Rapid Prototyping of 3D Electronics via Laser Cutting and Forming. Adam L Bachmann, Brendan Hanrahan, Michael D Dickey, Nathan Lazarus (2022) ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces Synthesis of Liquid Gallium@ Reduced Graphene Oxide Core–Shell Nanoparticles with Enhanced Photoacoustic and Photothermal Performance. Yingyue Zhang, Zhenzhen Guo, Hanrui Zhu, Wenkui Xing, Peng Tao, Wen Shang, Benwei Fu, Chengyi Song, Yuan Hong, Michael D Dickey, Tao Deng (2022) Journal of the American Chemical Society Deposition of silicate coatings on poly (ethylene terephthalate) for improved scratch and solvent resistance. Gilbert A Castillo, Michael D Dickey, Christopher B Gorman, Jan Genzer, Kirill Efimenko (2022) Journal of Applied Polymer Science Tough and stretchable ionogels by in situ phase separation. Meixiang Wang, Pengyao Zhang, Mohammad Shamsi, Jacob L Thelen, Wen Qian, Vi Khanh Truong, Jinwoo Ma, Jian Hu, Michael D Dickey (2022) Nature Materials Interactions between liquid metal droplets and bacterial, fungal, and mammalian cells. Samuel Cheeseman, Aaron Elbourne, Sheeana Gangadoo, ZL Shaw, Saffron J Bryant, Nitu Syed, Michael D Dickey, Michael J Higgins, Krasimir Vasilev, Chris F McConville, Andrew J Christofferson, Russell J Crawford, Torben Daeneke, James Chapman, Vi Khanh Truong (2022) Advanced Materials Interfaces Noncontact rotation, levitation, and acceleration of flowing liquid metal wires. Yahua He, Jianbo Tang, Kourosh Kalantar-Zadeh, Michael D Dickey, Xiaolin Wang (2022) Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Soft electrochemical bubble actuator with liquid metal electrode using an embodied hydrogel pneumatic source. Veenasri Vallem, Erin Roosa, Tyler Ledinh, Sahar Rashid Nadimi, Abolfazl Kiani, Michael D Dickey (2022) Soft Matter Applications of liquid metals in nanotechnology. Francois-Marie Allioux, Mohammad B Ghasemian, Wanjie Xie, Anthony P O’Mullane, Torben Daeneke, Michael D Dickey, Kourosh Kalantar-Zadeh (2022) Nanoscale Horizons Liquid‐Metal‐Enabled Mechanical‐Energy‐Induced CO2 Conversion. Junma Tang, Jianbo Tang, Mohannad Mayyas, Mohammad B Ghasemian, Jing Sun, Md Arifur Rahim, Jiong Yang, Jialuo Han, Douglas J Lawes, Rouhollah Jalili, Torben Daeneke, Maricruz G Saborio, Zhenbang Cao, Claudia A Echeverria, Francois‐Marie Allioux, Ali Zavabeti, Jessica Hamilton, Valerie Mitchell, Anthony P O’Mullane, Richard B Kaner, Dorna Esrafilzadeh, Michael D Dickey, Kourosh Kalantar‐Zadeh (2022) Advanced Materials Counterpropagating gradients of antibacterial and antifouling polymer brushes. Yeongun Ko, Vi Khanh Truong, Sun Young Woo, Michael D Dickey, Lilian Hsiao, Jan Genzer (2021) Biomacromolecules Osmotically enabled wearable patch for sweat harvesting and lactate quantification. Tamoghna Saha, Jennifer Fang, Sneha Mukherjee, Charles T Knisely, Michael D Dickey, Orlin D Velev (2021), Micromachines A Liquid Metal Artificial Muscle. Jian Shu, Du‐An Ge, Erlong Wang, Hongtai Ren, Tim Cole, Shi‐Yang Tang, Xiangpeng Li, Xiangbo Zhou, Rongjie Li, Hu Jin, Weihua Li, Michael D Dickey, Shiwu Zhang (2021), Advanced Materials Liquid Metal Hybrid Composites with High-Sensitivity and Large Dynamic Range Enabled by Micro-and Macrostructure Engineering. G Yun, SY Tang, H Lu, T Cole, S Sun, J Shu, J Zheng, Q Zhang, S Zhang, MD Dickey, W Li (2021), ACS Applied Polymer Materials Liquid Metal Composites with Enhanced Thermal Conductivity and Stability Using Molecular Thermal Linker. Han Wang, Wenkui Xing, Shen Chen, Chengyi Song, Michael D Dickey, Tao Deng (2021), Advanced Materials Are Contact Angle Measurements Useful for Oxide-Coated Liquid Metals?. ID Joshipura, KA Persson, VK Truong, J Oh, M Kong, MH Vong, C Ni, M Alsafatwi, DP Parekh, H Zhao, MD Dickey (2021), Langmuir A Soft Variable‐Area Electrical‐Double‐Layer Energy Harvester. V Vallem, E Roosa, T Ledinh, WJung, T Kim, S Rashid‐Nadimi, A Kiani, MD Dickey (2021), Advanced Materials Reversible Underwater Adhesion for Soft Robotic Feet by Leveraging Electrochemically Tunable Liquid Metal Interfaces. HLu, G Yun, T Cole, Y Ouyang, H Ren, J Shu, Y Zhang, S Zhang, MD Dickey, W Li, S Tang (2021), ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces Dynamic control of reflective/diffusive optical surfaces on EGaIn liquid metal. K Nakakubo, H Yoshioka, K Morita, R Ishimatsu, A Kiani, H Hallen, MD Dickey, Y Oki (2021), Optical Materials Express Stretchable and Soft Electroadhesion Using Liquid‐Metal Subsurface Microelectrodes. S Park, J Shintake, E Piskarev, Y Wei, I Joshipura, E Frey, T Neumann, D Floreano, MD Dickey (2021), Advanced Materials Technologies Antipathogenic properties and applications of low-dimensional materials. ZL Shaw, S Kuriakose, S Cheeseman, MD Dickey, J Genzer, AJ Christofferson, RJ Crawford, CF McConville, J Chapman, VK Truong, A Elbourne, S Walia (2021), Nature Communications Soft and Stretchable Liquid Metal Composites with Shape Memory and Healable Conductivity. P Bhuyan, Y Wei, D Sin, J Yu, C Nah, K Jeong, MD Dickey, S Park (2021) ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces A Review of Liquid Metal Embrittlement: Cracking Open the Disparate Mechanisms. JE Norkett, MD Dickey, VM Miller (2021), Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A Elastic Multifunctional Liquid–Metal Fibers for Harvesting Mechanical and Electromagnetic Energy and as Self‐Powered Sensors. Y-C Lai, H‐W Lu, H‐M Wu, D Zhang, J Yang, J Ma, M Shamsi, V Vallem, MD Dickey (2021), Advanced Energy Materials Flexible thermoelectric generator with liquid metal interconnects and low thermal conductivity silicone filler. VP Ramesh, Y Sargolzaeiaval, TV Neumann, V Misra, D Vashaee, MD Dickey, MC Ozturk (2021), npj Flexible Electronics Wicking–Polarization‐Induced Water Cluster Size Effect on Triboelectric Evaporation Textiles. W Gong, X Wang, W Yang, J Zhou, X Han, MD Dickey, Y Su, C Hou, Y Li, Q Zhang, H Wa (2021), Advanced Materials Surface Modification of Gallium‐Based Liquid Metals: Mechanisms and Applications in Biomedical Sensors and Soft Actuators. K Kwon, VK Truong, F Krisnadi, S Im, J Ma, N Mehrabian, T-I Kim, MD Dickey (2021), Advanced Intelligent Systems Jumping liquid metal droplets controlled electrochemically. M Song, N Mehrabian, S Karuturi, MD Dickey (2021), Applied Physics Letters Liquid Metal-Triggered Assembly of Phenolic Nanocoatings with Antioxidant and Antibacterial Properties. F Centurion, R Namivandi-Zangeneh, N Flores, M Tajik, S Merhebi, R Abbasi, M Mayyas, F-M Allioux, J Tang, WA Donald, C Boyer, MD Dickey, K Kalantar-Zadeh, MA Rahim (2021), ACS Applied Nano Materials Wearable Osmotic-Capillary Patch for Prolonged Sweat Harvesting and Sensing. T Saha, J Fang, S Mukherjee, MD Dickey, OD Velev (2021), ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces Aerosol Spray Deposition of Liquid Metal and Elastomer Coatings for Rapid Processing of Stretchable Electronics. TV Neumann, B Kara, Y Sargolzaeiaval, S Im, J Ma, J Yang, MC Ozturk, MD Dickey (2021), Micromachines Energy Harvesting and Storage with Soft and Stretchable Materials. V Vallem, Y Sargolzaeiaval, M Ozturk, Y‐C Lai, MD Dickey (2021), Advanced Materials Liquid metal motor. E Wang, J Shu, H Jin, Z Tao, J Xie, S-Y Tang, X Li, W Li, MD Dickey, S Zhang (2021), Iscience Stiff or Extensible in Seconds: Light‐Induced Corrugations in Thin Polymer Sheets. AM Hubbard, JK Patel, S Wagner, C Chang, J Genzer, MD Dickey (2021), Advanced Materials Technologies . .