Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Peng Jiang, Shushan Zhang, Heng Yang, Ying Li
Summary: Designing materials and structures with high energy absorption and self-recoverability is a challenge in aerospace engineering applications. Inspired by Phlorodes diabolicus, we propose a convex interface slide design strategy for reusability and energy absorption. The convex interface slide design achieves a 270% higher energy absorption capacity than curved beams. Additionally, we developed a theoretical model to predict mechanical behavior and energy absorption performance.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Kerem Kaya, Emre Iseri, Wouter van der Wijngaart
Summary: This study introduces easily programmable polymer magnetic composites with high remanence characteristics and the ability to reprogram between different states. The materials exhibit ferromagnetic properties and spin ice characteristics, and the magnetic properties can be controlled by temperature and magnetic field.
MICROSYSTEMS & NANOENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Thermodynamics
Jun Wu, Yasong Sun, Biyuan Wu, Chunlei Sun, Xiaohu Wu
Summary: This article designs and studies a polarization insensitive, broadband and wide-angle perfect metamaterial absorber for solar energy harvesting, which has high absorption rate and large fabrication tolerance. The absorption spectra are consistent with solar spectrum and robust against incident angle changes.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF THERMAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jinyou Li, Zhe Chen, Qunyang Li, Lihua Jin, Zhihua Zhao
Summary: This article presents a new type of energy-absorbing architected materials with high absorption capacity and superior reusability. By utilizing the rate-dependent frictional dissipation between prestressed stiff cores and a porous soft elastomer, reinforced by an intertwined stiff porous frame, the materials achieve high energy dissipation and passive adaptation of friction force with loading rate. The intertwined structure prevents stress concentration and ensures no damage and reusability of the constituents after multiple loading cycles.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Fanghang Deng, Quang-Kha Nguyen, Pu Zhang
Summary: This study developed four types of liquid metal lattice materials and improved their strength and durability by coating two layers of polymer on the metal lattice core. The beam and shell lattice materials exhibited higher strength and energy absorption capacity, making them the preferred choice for reusable liquid metal lattice materials.
APPLIED MATERIALS TODAY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Manufacturing
Yang Xu, Ziqi Wang, Siyu Gong, Yong Chen
Summary: Traditional AM processes require supports that are wasteful and time-consuming. The new reusable support system uses dynamically controlled metal pins to significantly reduce the amount of supports needed, increasing efficiency and reliability.
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Xueyan Chen, Qingxiang Ji, Julio Andres Iglesias Martinez, Huifeng Tan, Gwenn Ulliac, Vincent Laude, Muamer Kadic
Summary: Simple-cubic closed tubular lattice exhibits high mechanical properties and irregular stable post-yield response, with limited loading direction dependence. It has significantly larger elastic modulus and yield strength compared to simple-cubic truss lattice, and can absorb more energy with higher efficiency.
JOURNAL OF THE MECHANICS AND PHYSICS OF SOLIDS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Mechanical
Jack E. Pechac, Michael J. Frazier
Summary: This article presents a design strategy for two-dimensional, multi-stable cellular materials that utilizes local rotational degrees of freedom to support mechanical energy absorption under general loading. The cellular materials constructed following this strategy possess an absorption capability for all loading modes - tension, compression, and shear, filling the need for omni-directional, multi-modal energy absorption in a low-density, tunable, and re-usable platform.
EXTREME MECHANICS LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Shuai Guo, Renjing Gao, Xiangyu Tian, Shutian Liu
Summary: This paper proposes a multi-step quasi-zero-stiffness metamaterial (MS-QZSM) with potential applications in various engineering scenarios. The MS-QZSM features multiple deformation behaviors and quasi-zero-stiffness phases under global compression load. The performances of the MS-QZSM, including multiple deformation behavior and energy absorption, are investigated and validated by experiments and simulations.
ENGINEERING STRUCTURES
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Mechanical
Weihua Guo, Yao Huang, Robert O. Ritchie, Sha Yin
Summary: The study demonstrates that by enhancing the reinforcement phase, connection phase, and their interfaces, the mechanical properties and energy absorption of dual-phase lattice composites can be significantly improved. By designing the connection phase structure, the specific stiffness, specific strength, and specific energy absorption of dual-phase lattice composites can be dramatically optimized compared to unreinforced matrix phase lattices. The design space of mechanical metamaterials can be significantly expanded through architectural and phase selection along with bioinspired phase patterning.
EXTREME MECHANICS LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Danlong Zong, Lu Zhu, Zhiyuan Yu, Yuanyuan Liu, Yue Li, Yang Wang
Summary: To effectively collect solar energy, a metamaterial solar absorber with an embedded structure stacked with Ti and SiO2 is designed. The embedded structure enhances the magnetic and electric fields to improve absorption rate. Absorption rate is calculated using the finite difference time domain method and the absorber's parameters are optimized using genetic algorithm. Results show that the optimized absorber has absorption rates over 95% in the 300-2500 nm range, with an average absorption rate of 98.7%. The absorber is polarization independent and maintains an average absorption rate above 95% at a 60 degree oblique incidence angle. Perfect absorbers in the solar spectral range have significant value in solar energy harvesting and information detection.
RESULTS IN PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Mechanical
Tark Raj Giri, Russell Mailen
Summary: Mechanical metamaterials with bistable unit cells using additive manufacturing processes can tailor energy absorption and snapping sequence, leading to predictable geometric reconfiguration. Experimental and computational results show that energy absorption increases with the number of layers and is directionally dependent on the printed configuration of the lattices. By changing the thickness of the sinusoidal beams, the energy absorbed and snapping sequence of multistable cylindrical structures can be controlled, offering new opportunities for practical applications in elastic wave control and reconfigurable structures.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sichao Qu, Nan Gao, Alain Tinel, Bruno Morvan, Vicente Romero-Garcia, Jean-Philippe Groby, Ping Sheng
Summary: By using a structured tungsten-polyurethane composite, we have designed and experimentally realized an underwater acoustic absorber with high absorption capability in the frequency range of 4 to 20 kHz, measured in a 5.6 m by 3.6 m water pool. The broadband functionality is achieved through optimizing the distribution of Fabry-Perot resonances.
Article
Mechanics
Aiguo Zhao, Chuang Liu, Yelin Zheng, Anfu Zhang, Peng He, Hong Chen, Gang Wu, Mangong Zhang, Tao Wu, Guoqing Gu
Summary: Studies on multi-stable metamaterials have often neglected the viscoelastic properties of the substrate, resulting in inaccurate evaluation of shock migration performance. This study investigates a multi-stable mechanical metamaterial prototype and develops a model to evaluate the dynamic characteristics of the substrate. Experimental tests and simulations reveal the prototype's energy absorption and shock reduction capabilities, showing promising results for protective facility design.
COMPOSITE STRUCTURES
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Xueyan Chen, Johnny Moughames, Qingxiang Ji, Julio Andres Iglesias Martinez, Huifeng Tan, Gwenn Ulliac, Vincent Laude, Muamer Kadic
Summary: This article introduces the advantages of the newly designed lightweight elastic isotropic bending-dominated truss lattice structure and its superior performance in energy absorption. Compared to other lattice structures, significant improvements have been achieved in various aspects.
JOURNAL OF THE MECHANICS AND PHYSICS OF SOLIDS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yuzhen Chen, Lihua Jin
Summary: A new class of reusable energy-absorbing architected material is developed by harnessing the snapping-back buckling of wide hyperelastic columns. The material shows the capability of energy dissipation and impact force mitigation in a reusable, self-recoverable, and rate-independent manner, with wide tunability of the peak force, energy dissipation, and stability. This work provides new design strategies for developing reusable energy-absorbing materials and opens new opportunities for improving their energy dissipation capacities.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Physics, Applied
Chen Xuan, Yu Zhou, Yusen Zhao, Ximin He, Lihua Jin
Summary: This study investigates the mechanism and energy flow in self-excited oscillation of a photothermally responsive hydrogel cantilever, showing the synergy between photomoment and oscillation. The stable oscillation amplitude and design guidelines for self-sustainable soft robots are determined.
PHYSICAL REVIEW APPLIED
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Mechanical
Tianzhen Liu, Yuzhen Chen, Liwu Liu, Yanju Liu, Jinsong Leng, Lihua Jin
Summary: The snap-through instability of viscoelastic materials can generate novel pseudo-bistable behavior, where predesigned geometric imperfections play a significant role in controlling structural stability and snap time.
EXTREME MECHANICS LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jinyou Li, Zhe Chen, Qunyang Li, Lihua Jin, Zhihua Zhao
Summary: This article presents a new type of energy-absorbing architected materials with high absorption capacity and superior reusability. By utilizing the rate-dependent frictional dissipation between prestressed stiff cores and a porous soft elastomer, reinforced by an intertwined stiff porous frame, the materials achieve high energy dissipation and passive adaptation of friction force with loading rate. The intertwined structure prevents stress concentration and ensures no damage and reusability of the constituents after multiple loading cycles.
Article
Instruments & Instrumentation
Boliang Wu, Tianzhen Liu, Yuzhen Chen, Lihua Jin
Summary: This study investigates the non-equilibrium kinetic processes and spatiotemporal bending of a photothermal shape memory polymer through analytical, numerical, and experimental methods. By establishing a thermomechanical model, different types of bending dynamics are observed and the effect of changes in the angles of incidence caused by laser penetration on bending is considered.
SMART MATERIALS AND STRUCTURES
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Tianzhen Liu, Yuzhen Chen, John W. Hutchinson, Lihua Jin
Summary: Viscoelastic spherical shells exhibit a wide range of time/rate-dependent buckling behaviors, including creep buckling, which occurs after a time delay. This study develops an analytical model to understand the nonlinear time-dependent buckling behavior of these shells, considering geometric imperfections and two types of loading: prescribed rate of volume change and constant pressure. The results demonstrate the important roles of viscoelasticity and loading rates in the load-carrying behavior, and reveal a connection between short-time elastic buckling and long-time creep buckling limits.
JOURNAL OF THE MECHANICS AND PHYSICS OF SOLIDS
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Jiheong Kang, Jaewan Mun, Yu Zheng, Masato Koizumi, Naoji Matsuhisa, Hung-Chin Wu, Shucheng Chen, Jeffrey B-H Tok, Gae Hwang Lee, Lihua Jin, Zhenan Bao
Summary: By covalently bonding a dissipative interfacial polymer layer between a semiconducting thin film and a substrate, the initiation and propagation of cracks can be notably delayed, leading to improved crack-onset strain and reduced mismatch of thermal expansion coefficients.
NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Min Hyouk Kim, Min Woo Jeong, Jun Su Kim, Tae Uk Nam, Ngoc Thanh Phuong Vo, Lihua Jin, Tae Il Lee, Jin Young Oh
Summary: In this study, a highly stretchable and robust metallization on an elastomeric semiconductor film based on metal-elastic semiconductor intermixing was reported. The vaporized silver (Ag) atoms formed a continuous intermixing layer during thermal evaporation, enabling highly stretchable metallization. The resulting silver metallization exhibited high conductivity and durability, even under significant strain and repeated stretching cycles.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Yu Zhou, Yuzhen Chen, Lihua Jin
Summary: In this paper, three-dimensional buckling and postbuckling analysis for thick hyperelastic tubes under axial compression and finite deformation are conducted using the asymptotic expansion method. The theoretical results successfully predict the deformation and stress-strain curves near critical loading, validated by finite element analysis. Three types of post-buckling paths, including continuous buckling, snap-through, and snap-back, are discovered, and phase diagrams summarizing the critical stretch for buckling onset and postbuckling paths are presented. The competition between global deformation and local distortion determines the complex transition among different types of postbuckling responses.
JOURNAL OF THE MECHANICS AND PHYSICS OF SOLIDS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yuzhen Chen, Tianzhen Liu, Lihua Jin
Summary: Viscoelastic shells under pressure loading can exhibit pseudo-bistability, where they stay inverted after pressure removal and snap back to their natural shape after a delay time. We have developed a viscoelastic shell model that combines small strain, moderate rotation shell theory with a standard linear solid constitutive law, and is applicable to shells with arbitrary axisymmetric shapes. Using this model, we successfully predict the pseudo-bistable behavior of viscoelastic ellipsoidal shells and study the effect of geometry, viscoelastic properties, and loading history.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY A-MATHEMATICAL PHYSICAL AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Morgan Hamon, Yuzhen Chen, Pratyush Srivastava, Hsiao-Min Chang, Vijay Gupta, Lihua Jin, Norimoto Yanagawa, Peter V. Hauser
Summary: Tubular structures are crucial for organ functions, and controlling their formation is essential for tissue engineering. We investigated the influence of substrate stiffness on tubulogenesis of mIMCD cells and found the optimal range to be between 277 kPa and 2610 kPa. We also observed that different substrate concentrations are associated with different expression levels of ZO-1 and that agarose generally leads to a greater tube formation rate.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Shivam Agarwal, Lihua Jin
Summary: This article investigates topological metamaterials exhibiting multidirectional two-step deformation, achieved by embedding contact-enabled topological mechanisms into lattice structures. The working principle of the topological metamaterials is demonstrated through experiments on 3D-printed 2D and 3D lattices, revealing the necessity of high-connectivity lattices with stretching-dominant behavior for two-step deformation.
ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Chen Wei, Scott Cao, Yu Zhou, Dehao Lin, Lihua Jin
Summary: This study investigates the viscoelastic behavior of main-chain nematic liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) under different loading rates and relaxation conditions by real-time measurements of stress, director rotation, and strain. The results show that both network extension and director rotation contribute to the viscoelasticity, with the network extension having a longer relaxation time than the director rotation. Additionally, it is found that the delay in director reorientation is not solely caused by the viscous rotation of liquid crystals but is also influenced by the coupling with the highly viscous network.
Article
Automation & Control Systems
Yuzhen Chen, Tianzhen Liu, Lihua Jin
Summary: Many species have the ability to change their skin textures to improve their movement and survival. This article proposes a design strategy to create materials with adjustable and reconfigurable textural morphing. The approach involves using viscoelastic shells with tunable recovery times as unit cells to construct surfaces. By arranging these unit cells in different ways, it is possible to achieve pre-programmed spatiotemporal textural morphing.
ADVANCED INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yuzhen Chen, Alexa S. Kuenstler, Ryan C. Hayward, Lihua Jin
Summary: This article investigates the effective strategy of using liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) to create functional 3D structures. The focus is on the deformation and shape transformation of rectangular monodomain LCE thin sheets. An analytical model is derived to analyze the critical thickness in the deformation process and the influence of deformation parameters on the shape. These studies are important for designing the shape morphing of LCE thin sheets and predicting the 3D shapes they can form for various applications.