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2h ago

Basketweave-Inspired Metamaterials Prove Both Stiff and Recoverable in Lab Tests

Peer-reviewed experiments show Mylar ribbon weaves rebound after extreme compression, retaining about 70% of the stiffness of continuous sheets.

Two 25 gram plastic rectangular boxes, one woven and one a continuous sheet, each hold a 500 gram weight. Center, Axial buckling: Hands crush each box, compressing it inward. Center, Torsional buckling: Hands twist each box. Right, After: The woven box is the same shape as before, holding a 500 gram weight. The continuous box is deformed, unable to hold the weight.
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Overview

  • University of Michigan researchers introduced a modular corner-topology platform that turns 2D ribbon weaves into 3D mechanical metamaterials, detailed in Physical Review Research.
  • In compression trials, 17-centimeter woven boxes recovered after being squashed by 14 centimeters to under 20% of their height, unlike continuous Mylar boxes that remained damaged.
  • High-resolution 3D scans revealed that woven architectures spread loads across the network, preventing the localized buckling seen in continuous sheets.
  • Prototypes showed strong load-bearing: an L-shaped arm held 80 times its weight, and a four-legged robot supported 25 times its weight and regained its shape after overload.
  • The team points to uses in soft robotics, exoskeletons, automotive and architectural components, and plans to integrate active electronics with support from the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research.