Exotic mechanical properties enabled by countersnapping instabilities.

ABSTRACT: Mechanical snapping instabilities are leveraged by natural systems, metamaterials, and devices for rapid sensing, actuation, and shape changes, as well as to absorb impact. In all current forms of snapping, shapes deform in the same direction as the exerted forces, even though there is no physical law that dictates this. Here, we realize countersnapping mechanical structures that respond in the opposite way. In contrast to regular snapping, countersnapping manifests itself in a sudden shortening transition under increasing tension or a sudden increase in tensile force under increasing extension. We design these structures by combining basic flexible building blocks that leverage geometric nonlinearities. We demonstrate experimentally that countersnapping can be employed to obtain new exoti

SUBMITTER: Ducarme P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12036990 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature