Electro-Thermally Controlled Active Mechanical Metamaterials with Programmable Stiffness and Nonreciprocity.

ABSTRACT: Active mechanical metamaterials have the potential to revolutionize material capabilities, by switching between different properties. The active mechanical metamaterial presented here can be remotely programmed to switch between compressive and shear deformation modes that cause stark changes in stiffness. The considered metamaterial uses controlled instabilities to change the buckling mode of electro-thermally activated beams. The beams form electrical circuits. When selectively charged, they heat (and soften). The effects of manufacturing imperfections are overcome by connecting the beams to a compliant mechanism, allowing reliable control over the compressive buckling modes that cause the stiffness changes. Connection points in the metamaterial resemble a fish-bone structure, known to e

SUBMITTER: Dunne J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12631830 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature