Glasgow College researchers have made PEEK-based lattice components with tunable auxetic properties. The group printed their work in Supplies Horizons, constructing on related work from final 12 months with PLA. On this case, the elements had been “finely tuned, self-monitoring supplies with programmable properties equivalent to energy, stretchability, and pressure sensitivity.” The group did this through the use of Materials Extrusion to make lattices from 4 totally different PEEK grades. A number of the supplies had added carbon nanotubes, which gave them piezoresistivity. In the event that they had been topic to pressure, the half’s electrical resistance would change. The researchers then made a household of geometries and measured the response to a great deal of these auxetic lattices. By being auxetic, they develop wider whereas being stretched and thinner when compressed; these properties make them splendid candidates for energy-absorbing constructions. There was quite a lot of work carried out on this space already, together with a overview paper, auxetic honeycombs, metamaterials, and power harvesting.
The group additionally created a predictive mannequin for the way electrical resistance modifications when subjected to mechanical stress in these geometries, which makes it rather a lot simpler for them to create new shapes and properties going ahead.
Professor Shanmugam Kumar stated,
“By combining design, fabrication, and predictive modelling, we are able to now create supplies that behave precisely as wanted for a given utility, whether or not that’s absorbing influence, sensing injury, or deforming in managed methods. Meaning we are able to transfer in the direction of a ‘design for failure’ philosophy the place supplies aren’t solely robust and light-weight, but in addition clever, capable of monitor their very own integrity over time. We’ve proven that it’s potential to design PEEK lattices that aren’t solely auxetic but in addition able to sensing pressure and injury with out the necessity for embedded electronics, This might allow new purposes in sensible orthopaedic implants, aerospace skins, and even wearable applied sciences.”
With regards for the general plan that they’re executing, Professor Kumar continued:
“We’re basically giving designers a toolkit for constructing the subsequent technology of multifunctional supplies, ones which are as clever as they’re robust. We consider this may very well be transformative for a number of sectors, from personalised medication to aerospace security and structural well being monitoring.”
It is a compelling concept general. For those who take a look at pressure sensors, for instance, in the event that they may very well be made a lot less complicated, and simpler to use to all kinds of constructions, and be a cheap option to measure the integrity of a constructing, bridge, or mechanical half. For those who 3D printed the bundle, some sort of power harvesting form, and many of the sensor, it might soak up quite a lot of the price. Past sensors, this sort of an method may very well be used to make an entire host of embedded or ever-present electronics that might dispense with batteries and quite a lot of elements, however as an alternative rely extra on additive.
The opposite apparent utility is in physique armor and issues like helmets; right here, such tuned supplies might additionally make quite a lot of sense. PEEK can be broadly accessible as an implant materials. For those who might make stents or different gadgets that behaved otherwise throughout surgical procedure and once they had been positioned, after which otherwise once more when they’re eliminated, you could possibly make procedures much less invasive. Hopefully, there may very well be much more inner geometric fiddling and much more variation within the shapes themselves. This might imply that the library they’re constructing in Glasgow might develop considerably, which might make it a lot simpler to dial in the fitting efficiency and create the fitting form with the fitting traits. That, in flip, will let the group extra rapidly produce new remaining elements with the fitting efficiency.
In physique armor or protecting padding, this might allow clients to develop end-use components with this know-how pretty rapidly. I actually like this method, because it might result in different researchers or firms commercializing issues with this analysis a lot quicker than if they only had a common concept or precept. It’s sensible as nicely as a result of in the event that they broaden the software program instruments and create an end-to-end workflow, from mechanical efficiency to slicing for instance, they’ll have a know-how stack that lots of people will wish to use. Relatively than studying the paper and doing their very own factor, individuals will then be tempted to make use of Dr. Kumar’s library of shapes and software program. Programable auxetic constructions have seen quite a lot of curiosity, however little in the best way of commercialization, so this looks like a really strong step in the direction of making it much less of a science undertaking and extra of a usable know-how. Given the advances potential with this and the brand new varieties of making that it might doubtlessly unlock, that is very hopeful.
To study extra, you’ll be able to learn “Topology-Engineered Piezoresistive Lattices with Programmable Pressure Sensing, Auxeticity, and Failure Modes” in Supplies Horizons.
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