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Origami Inspired Self-assembly of Patterned and Reconfigurable Particles
Published on: February 4, 2013
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Origami and Kirigami Nanocomposites.
Lizhi Xu1, Terry C Shyu1, Nicholas A Kotov1
1Department of Chemical Engineering and ‡Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States.
ACS Nano
|July 25, 2017
Summary
Origami and kirigami inspire advanced materials design, enabling reconfigurable nanocomposites with tailored mechanical, optical, and electrical properties for diverse technological applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Mechanical Engineering
Background:
- Origami and kirigami arts have inspired macroscale hierarchical structures with reconfigurable and multifunctional properties.
- Scaling these patterning techniques to micro-, meso-, and nanoscales has opened new avenues in nanocomposite material design.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the transition of origami and kirigami principles into materials design for creating advanced nanocomposites.
- To discuss the fabrication techniques and resulting properties of patterned, reconfigurable materials.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing subtractive and additive fabrication techniques for nanocomposites.
- Employing out-of-plane deformation of patterned structures.
- Reviewing existing literature on foldable/stretchable composites and their properties.
Main Results:
- Achieved predictable material properties, including negative Poisson's ratio, sheet conductance, photovoltage generation, and light diffraction.
- Demonstrated the creation of foldable/stretchable composites with designed mechanical, optical, and electrical characteristics.
Conclusions:
- Reconfigurable nanocomposites inspired by kirigami and origami offer a versatile platform for materials innovation.
- These materials enable a wide range of technological applications, from biomedical tools to energy systems.

