Intrinsically Polar Elastic Metamaterials

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Mechanical Engineering
• Additive Manufacturing

Background:

• Combining materials with different properties is crucial for functional applications like protective gear.
• Conventional multi-material designs face challenges with delamination and wear, compromising performance.
• A need exists for materials with inherent, robust, multi-functional properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a design principle for materials leveraging 3D microstructure for unique properties.
• To develop a material with differential stiffness on opposing faces.
• To create a material topology resistant to cuts and tears.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing 3D printing to fabricate specimens with repeating microstructural building blocks.
• Designing material topology to dictate mechanical response rather than composition.
• Testing the mechanical response of the material under various removal scenarios.

Main Results:

• 3D printed specimens exhibited significantly different stiffness on opposing faces along the same axis.
• The material's design inherently protected against degradation from cuts and layer removal.
• Opposing faces consistently maintained distinct mechanical responses irrespective of material removal method.

Conclusions:

• A novel design principle based on 3D microstructure enables materials with intrinsic, opposing mechanical properties.
• This topology-based approach offers superior durability and functional stability compared to traditional composite materials.
• The developed material demonstrates a robust solution for applications requiring inherent multi-functionality and wear resistance.