Michael Bartlett, associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, has an extensive portfolio in soft electronics and robotics, liquid metal research, and bioinspired materials. A new study published by his team in collaboration with Joshua Worch, assistant professor in the Chemistry Department, was featured on the cover of the September 18, 2025 edition of Advanced Materials.

The team combined liquid metal microdroplets with a special plastic called a dynamic vitrimer network, creating a recyclable and reconfigurable electronic material. These circuit boards are excellent conductors of electricity, outfitted with robust mechanical properties as well as shape memory and the ability to self-heal. They can be bent and even cut without losing the ability to function, while reducing electronic waste by being almost entirely reusable and recyclable.

Authors were Dong Hae Ho, Meng Jiang, Ravi Tutika,  Joshua C. Worch, and Michael D. Bartlett.