Overview

• MIT researchers developed a metamaterial that stretches over four times its original size while maintaining high strength, overcoming the traditional stiffness-flexibility trade-off.
• The material integrates a rigid lattice of microscopic struts with a softer woven network, fabricated simultaneously using two-photon lithography.
• Tests show the double-network design is ten times more stretchable than conventional lattice-patterned metamaterials made from the same polymer.
• A computational framework accompanies the design, enabling engineers to predict and optimize performance for various applications.
• Researchers are exploring adaptations of the design for ceramics, metals, and responsive materials, with potential uses in tear-resistant textiles, flexible electronics, and tissue repair scaffolds.