Engineers from the Royal Melbourne University of Technology have managed to develop a new surprisingly strong material.
It is very strong in compression and has the necessary stiffness to be used in the construction and design of product packaging. The developers were inspired to create this material by complex structure the skeleton of a deep-sea Pacific sponge known for its elasticity. The double lattice structure of the material imitates the skeleton of this amazing creature.
According to one of the study’s lead authors, Dr. Jiaming Ma, numerous tests and continuous improvement have confirmed that structurally material not only has increased strength and stiffness, but is also able to shrink when compressed, making it easy to use in many different applications. It is the ability to shrink, known as auxetic behavior, that opens up a whole new range of possibilities for the structure’s use in construction and other areas.
«While most materials become thinner when stretched or thicker — when compressed, like rubber, auxetics do the opposite. Auxetics are able to absorb and distribute impact energy efficiently, making them extremely useful», — explains Jiaming Ma.
Among the natural auxetics — tendons, cat skin. At the same time, similar synthetic materials are used in the production of cardiovascular stents that expand and contract as needed.
Despite the fact that While auxetics have a large number of useful properties, their low stiffness and limited ability to absorb energy limit the range of applications for these materials. The double grating structure developed by Australian engineers is of great importance because it is devoid of all the above disadvantages.
«Each lattice by itself is subject to traditional deformation, but if you combine them, as nature does in a deep-sea sponge, it self-regulates and retains its shape, outperforming similar materials by a fairly significant margin», — Jiaming Ma says.
The test results showed that with the same amount of material double grille is 13 times more rigid than traditional grilles auxetics. In addition, it is able to absorb 10% more energy without losing its properties, with a deformation range increased by 60% compared to existing structures.
Where the innovative material can be used
According to Dr. Ngoc San Ha, the structure of such a surprisingly strong lattice provides a solid foundation for the development of environmentally friendly buildings of the future.
«Our auxetic metamaterial with high stiffness and energy absorption can provide significant benefits in many sectors, from building materials to protective equipment, sports equipment, and medical applications», — Ngoc San Ha says.
For example, a bio-inspired lattice structure can be used as a steel building frame, allowing less steel and concrete to be used to achieve the same results as a traditional frame developed material can also form the basis of lightweight sports protective equipment, body armor, or medical implants.
The developers tested the design using computer modeling and laboratory tests using a sample printed on a 3D printer made of thermoplastic polyurethane. Now they plan to produce steel specimens using this design and combine them with concrete and earthen.
«Although this development may have prospects for use in sports equipment, personal protective equipment and medical applications, we are primarily focused on the construction aspect We are developing a more environmentally friendly building material by utilizing the unique combination of outstanding auxeticity, stiffness, and energy absorption inherent in our design to reduce the use of steel and cement in construction. Its auxetic and energy-absorbing properties can also help dampen vibrations during earthquakes», — Jiaming Ma emphasizes.
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