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DOE OSTI · 2573801

3D polycatenated architected materials

Zhou, Wenjie [California Institute of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000276264032)·Nadarajah, Sujeeka [California Institute of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States)] (ORCID:0009000877940347)·Li, Liuchi [Princeton Univ., NJ (United States); Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, MD (United States)] (ORCID:0000000213604757)·Izard, Anna Guell [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000244167609)·Yan, Hujie [California Institute of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States)]·Prachet, Aashutosh K. [California Institute of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States)] (ORCID:0009000704726895)·Patel, Payal [California Institute of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States)]·Xia, Xiaoxing [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000312553289)·Daraio, Chiara [California Institute of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000152964440)
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Abstract

Architected materials derive their properties from the geometric arrangement of their internal structural elements. Their designs rely on continuous networks of members to control the global mechanical behavior of the bulk. Here, in this study, we introduce a class of materials that consist of discrete concatenated rings or cage particles interlocked in three-dimensional networks, forming polycatenated architected materials (PAMs). We propose a general design framework that translates arbitrary crystalline networks into particle concatenations and geometries. In response to small external loads, PAMs behave like non-Newtonian fluids, showing both shear-thinning and shear-thickening responses, which can be controlled by their catenation topologies. At larger strains, PAMs behave like lattices and foams, with a nonlinear stress-strain relation. At microscale, we demonstrate that PAMs can change their shapes in response to applied electrostatic charges. The distinctive properties of PAMs pave the path for developing stimuli-responsive materials, energy-absorbing systems, and morphing architectures.

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36 MATERIALS SCIENCE

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Zhou, Wenjie [California Institute of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000276264032), Nadarajah, Sujeeka [California Institute of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States)] (ORCID:0009000877940347), Li, Liuchi [Princeton Univ., NJ (United States); Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, MD (United States)] (ORCID:0000000213604757), Izard, Anna Guell [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000244167609), Yan, Hujie [California Institute of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States)], Prachet, Aashutosh K. [California Institute of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States)] (ORCID:0009000704726895), Patel, Payal [California Institute of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States)], Xia, Xiaoxing [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000312553289), Daraio, Chiara [California Institute of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000152964440). 2025-01-16. 3D polycatenated architected materials. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adr9713

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The transition to a flexible and reliable energy infrastructure, using electro-thermal energy generation technologies such as geothermal, concentrated solar power, and nuclear, usually demands simultaneous advancement of thermal energy storage (TES) to support on-demand electricity generation and industrial applications while mitigating the inherent intermittency of renewable energy sources and power outages from direct energy generation. Among TES technologies, thermochemical energy storage (TCES) based on calcium looping emerges as a compelling high-power energy storage candidate due to its high reaction enthalpy, compatibility with elevated operating temperatures, and abundance of low-cost materials. However, the long-term durability of calcium-based sorbents for TCES is hindered by surface sintering and particle aggregation, leading to performance degradation over repeated thermal cycles. This study explores a moisture hydration-based strategy to regenerate a degraded calcium sorbent and mitigate performance degradation for long duration TCES. The addition of moisture transforms calcium oxide into calcium hydroxide and produces intercalation water layers, associated with a regenerated surface area and reduced calcium oxide crystallite size. Both these effects are beneficial in restoring the sorbents' reactivity for carbonization. Additionally, an optimized hydration-assisted reactivation protocol balances the recovered energy storage capacity with heating penalty required for moisture removal from hydrated samples, resulting in an enhanced energy storage capacity up to 176% compared to benchmark sorbents that undergo cycling without reactivation after 60 cycles. In conclusion, these results highlight the potential of hydration-assisted reactivation to enhance the long-term performance of TCES, providing an effective pathway to advancing electro-thermal storage technologies.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗