Surface engineering of Ga-based liquid metals for biomedical applications: Challenges and perspectives

Surface engineering of Ga-based liquid metals for biomedical applications: Challenges and perspectives

Yifan Gu
1,2
,
Mingyang Guan
1,2
,
Guozhen Liu
1,2,*
*Correspondence to: Guozhen Liu, Integrated Devices and Intelligent Diagnosis (ID2) Laboratory, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen 518172, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Aggregate Science, School of Science and Engineering, Shenzhen Institute of Aggregate Science and Technology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen 518172, Guangdong, China. E-mail: liuguozhen@cuhk.edu.cn
BME Horiz. 2027;5:202629. 10.70401/bmeh.2026.0036
Received: June 23, 2026Accepted: September 09, 2026Published: September 09, 2026
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This manuscript is made available in its unedited form to allow early access to the reported findings. Further editing will be completed before final publication. As such, the content may include errors, and standard legal disclaimers are applicable.

Abstract

Ga-based liquid metal (LM), particularly gallium-based alloy, uniquely combines metallic conductivity with fluidic flexibility, offering attractive opportunities for biomedical technologies that are difficult to achieve with conventional solid-state metals. This review firstly summarizes the expanding applications of LM in microfluidics, flexible electronics, biosensing, drug delivery, and thermal therapy, highlighting the functional advantages arising from their fluidity, deformability, and electrical conductivity. However, the limitations that hinder broader biomedical implementation remain: though the native gallium oxide layer can stabilize LM structures, it also introduces challenges in oxidation control, wettability, interfacial adhesion, conductivity, and long-term reliability. Against this background, surface engineering is presented as a central strategy for addressing these limitations. We systematically review surface modification approaches based on small molecules, polymers, biological coatings, and related interfacial strategies for improving stability, biocompatibility, and functionality. We further discuss fabrication approaches for integrating surface engineered LM into wearable platforms, including 3D printing and hydrogel-based architectures. Finally, persistent challenges involving surface tension, adhesion, nanoparticle aggregation, conductivity loss, electrochemical corrosion, mechanical mismatch, biocompatibility, and sterilization are critically evaluated together with corresponding solutions. This application-surface engineering framework provides a roadmap for designing multifunctional, surface engineered LM-based systems, while outlining future directions for translating these materials from laboratory studies to clinical and practical biomedical applications.

Keywords

Liquid metal nanoparticles, surface modification, wearable devices, stability, biomedical applications

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Gu Y, Guan M, Liu G. Surface engineering of Ga-based liquid metals for biomedical applications: Challenges and perspectives. BME Horiz. 2027;5:202629. https://doi.org/10.70401/bmeh.2026.0036

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