VIDEO: Liquid metal can mimic Terminator like movement and propel itself in liquid

03/15/2015 - 00:00

By Michael Slezak -

Hasta la vista, baby. A real-life T-1000, the shape-shifting liquid-metal robot from Terminator 2, is a step closer, thanks to a self-powered liquid metal motor.

The device is surprisingly simple: just a drop of metal alloy made mostly of gallium – which is liquid at just under 30 °C – with some indium and tin mixed in. When placed in a solution of sodium hydroxide, or even brine, and kept in contact with a flake of aluminium for "fuel", it moves around for about an hour.

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Ref:  Self-Fueled Biomimetic Liquid Metal Mollusk. Advanced Materials. 3 MAR 2015 | DOI: 10.1002/adma.201405438