Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Lifei Zhu is a leading figure in the emerging field of liquid metal–based soft microfluidics, where his work has fundamentally reshaped how conductive, deformable materials are integrated into next-generation electronics and robotics. His research centers on the manipulation and stabilization of gallium-based liquid metals, tackling their notoriously sticky and corrosive oxide skins to unlock their full potential. Zhu’s most influential contribution, a 2019 paper on “Liquid Metal–Based Soft Microfluidics” (210 citations), has become a cornerstone for wearable and soft electronic systems. He further advanced the field by developing a robust method to coat liquid metal droplets with graphene, creating nonstick, noncorrosive, and conductive floating electrodes (135 citations). His deep analysis of interfacial tension and oxide formation at liquid metal interfaces (96 citations) provided the fundamental understanding needed to control these materials in practical applications. Through these innovations, Zhu has enabled new classes of soft robots, stretchable circuits, and reconfigurable devices, establishing himself as a key architect of the materials science that bridges the gap between rigid electronics and compliant biological systems.