Liquid metal (LM) and its composites in thermal management

Liquid metal (LM), a new functional metal material, has drawn a lot of interest since it can stay in the liquid phase at ambient temperature or below. Furthermore, advanced heat dissipation technology has undergone significant modifications as a result of the fluidity, high thermal conductivity, and high phase change latent heat per unit volume of LM. In this paper, several fundamental physical characteristics of LM that are crucial for thermal management applications are discussed. The comparison of the thermal properties of LM and conventional thermal management materials is then highlighted, and the preparation methods and thermal management applications of LM as thermal interface materials (TIMs), phase change materials (PCMs), and heat transfer fluids (HTFs) are summarized. Finally, present technical challenges and future development direction are put forward.