Tailoring 3D printed graded architected polymer foams for enhanced energy absorption

The 3D structure of real polymer foams.

The intricate structure of polymeric foams may be examined using 3D imaging techniques such as MRI or X-ray tomography followed by image processing. Using a new 3D image processing technique, six images of polyurethane foams were analyzed to create computerized 3D models of the samples. Measurements on these models yielded distributions of many microstructural features, including strut length a...

Resilient 3D hierarchical architected metamaterials.

Hierarchically designed structures with architectural features that span across multiple length scales are found in numerous hard biomaterials, like bone, wood, and glass sponge skeletons, as well as manmade structures, like the Eiffel Tower. It has been hypothesized that their mechanical robustness and damage tolerance stem from sophisticated ordering within the constituents, but the specific ...

Fabrication of 3d Micro-architected/ Nano-architected Materials

A 3D-printed, functionally graded soft robot powered by combustion

Roboticists have begun to design biologically inspired robots with soft or partially soft bodies, which have the potential to be more robust and adaptable, and safer for human interaction, as compared to traditional rigid robots. However, key challenges in the design and manufacture of soft robots include the complex fabrication processes and the interfacing of soft and rigid components. We emp...

Architected squirt-flow materials for energy dissipation

In the present study we explore material architectures that lead to enhanced dissipation properties by taking advantage of squirt-flow a local flow mechanism triggered by heterogeneities at the pore level. While squirt-flow is a known dominant source of dissipation and seismic attenuation in fluid saturated geological materials, we study its untapped potential to be incorporated in highly defor...