Engineering topics

Lin, Zhaowen

Publications and source records attributed to Lin, Zhaowen.

2 records

DOE OSTI2023

Ultrastrong colloidal crystal metamaterials engineered with DNA

Lattice-based constructs, often made by additive manufacturing, are attractive for many applications. Typically, such constructs are made from microscale or larger elements; however, smaller nanoscale components can lead to more unusual properties, including greater strength, lighter weight, and unprecedented resiliencies. Here, solid and hollow nanoparticles (nanoframes and nanocages; frame size: ~15 nanometers) were assembled into colloidal crystals using DNA, and their mechanical strengths were studied. Nanosolid, nanocage, and nanoframe lattices with identical crystal symmetries exhibit markedly different specific stiffnesses and strengths. Unexpectedly, the nanoframe lattice is approximately six times stronger than the nanosolid lattice. Nanomechanical experiments, electron microscopy, and finite element analysis show that this property results from the buckling, densification, and size-dependent strain hardening of nanoframe lattices. Last, these unusual open architectures show that lattices with structural elements as small as 15 nanometers can retain a high degree of strength, and as such, they represent target components for making and exploring a variety of miniaturized devices.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2020

Folding at the Microscale: Enabling Multifunctional 3D Origami‐Architected Metamaterials

Abstract Mechanical metamaterials inspired by the Japanese art of paper folding have gained considerable attention because of their potential to yield deployable and highly tunable assemblies. The inherent foldability of origami structures enlarges the material design space with remarkable properties such as auxeticity and high deformation recoverability and deployability, the latter being key in applications where spatial constraints are pivotal. This work integrates the results of the design, 3D direct laser writing fabrication, and in situ scanning electron microscopic mechanical characterization of microscale origami metamaterials, based on the multimodal assembly of Miura‐Ori tubes. The origami‐architected metamaterials, achieved by means of microfabrication, display remarkable mechanical properties: stiffness and Poisson’s ratio tunable anisotropy, large degree of shape recoverability, multistability, and even reversible auxeticity whereby the metamaterial switches Poisson’s ratio sign during deformation. The findings here reported underscore the scalable and multifunctional nature of origami designs, and pave the way toward harnessing the power of origami engineering at small scales.

Lin, Zhaowen↗