Biotissue-like rhythmic hydrous liquid-metal agglomerates

Summary

Biotissues are intriguing systems that have long been imitated but never surpassed due to their complex rhythms and undisclosed participation mechanisms of the interior aqueous environment. Here, we conceive to create biotissue-like agglomerates with versatile rhythmic behaviors via two representative liquid matters, water and bottom-up-assembled liquid metals. We demonstrate that the fabricated hydrous liquid-metal agglomerates (HLMAs) would float with integrity in solution without scattering. Particularly, such HLMAs achieve systolic and diastolic rhythms while undergoing rhythmic variations in diverse physical properties. The mechanisms are attributed to the bioelectrical signals' ignited reversible redox behaviors. Further conceptual experiments reveal the roles of liquid matter in forming the agglomerates and their rhythm capabilities. HLMAs offer a universal paradigm to simulate the nature of the rhythmic behaviors of biological tissues via inorganic systems. This assay is expected to be a starting point for bridging artificial matter with natural biotissues.