Mechanical metamaterials with star-shaped pores exhibiting negative and zero Poisson's ratio

Publication date: 15 May 2018
Source:Materials & Design, Volume 146
Author(s): Luke Mizzi, E.M. Mahdi, Kirill Titov, Ruben Gatt, Daphne Attard, Kenneth E. Evans, Joseph N. Grima, Jin-Chong Tan
The term "mechanical metamaterials" encompasses a wide range of systems whose anomalous mechanical properties arise primarily from their structure rather than composition. This unique characteristic gives them an edge over many conventional natural or readily available materials and makes them well-suited for a variety of applications where tailor-made mechanical properties are required. In this study, we present a new class of mechanical metamaterials featuring various star-shaped perforations, which have the potential to exhibit auxetic or zero Poisson's ratio (ν) properties. Using finite element modelling in conjunction with experimental measurements on 3D printed prototypes, we demonstrate that these star-shaped porous systems possess the potential to retain their unusual mechanical properties up to tensile strains exceeding 15%. By virtue of these exceptional properties, the proposed concept could be applied for engineering numerous potential applications in a wide range of fields.

Graphical abstract

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