Polycatenated Architected Materials for Load Adaptive Soft Structures

In recent years, the development of architected materials has led to exciting advancements in mechanical metamaterials, particularly those exhibiting tunable mechanical properties. We recently introduced polycatenated architected materials (PAMs) that consist of topologically interlinked wireframe structures, like 3D chainmail fabrics. These materials can transition between fluid-like and rigid states, responding to external stimuli such as mechanical load or electrostatic activation. The response of these materials depends on the particles’ geometry and on the topology of their interlocks, transitioning between truss-like to granular-like as a function of the type of the external load applied. This talk will explore a few PAMs designs and their emerging responses governed by different contacts and interlocking mechanisms. These materials show potential applications in wearable impact protection, soft robotics, and stimuli-responsive technologies.