Design and fabrication of fluidic patch antenna based liquid metal alloy (EGaIn) and single wall carbon nanotubes nanocomposites

This letter describes the design and fabrication of fluidic patch antenna that incorporates a liquid metal alloy (EGaIn) and single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) nanocomposites and operates at 4 GHz frequency. Based on our simulations results, we have first used our recently developed UV-assisted direct-writing technology to design the patch antenna onto a polydimethylsiloxane substrate, followed by embedding the EGaIn/SWNT nanocomposites. The fabricated prototypes exhibited excellent antanna performances, in total agreement with simulations, showing an increase in the composite electrical conductivity and reflection coefficients with respect to SWNTs concentration. The effect of the SWNTs on the long-term stability of mechanical properties of the fabricated specimen was also demonstrated.