MIT scientists have turned to the age-old Japanese paper art, kirigami, for inspiration.
Using this ancient technique of cutting and folding paper, the researchers have created powerful, lightweight structures.
Imagine materials as light as cork but as strong as steel!
At the core of this innovation is the idea of cellular solids. Just like honeycombs have different cells packed together, these new structures are formed of many cells.
The shape of these cells determines the strength and stiffness of the overall structure.
Think of bones: they are strong and stiff yet lightweight because of the cellular materials they contain.
Scientists have long tried to use the idea behind cellular solids to create new materials.
By adjusting the design of the individual cells, they can decide how the material behaves, whether it’s strong, flexible, or can handle heat well. These “designed” materials have a lot of potential uses, like in cars, planes, or buildings.
The MIT team decided to scale up these designs, using metal and other materials. This was tricky because it’s not easy to manufacture these designs on a large scale.
But by using kirigami techniques, the researchers were able to craft these designs easily.
Professor Neil Gershenfeld, a leader of the project, compared the new material to “steel cork” because it’s much lighter than cork but has the strength and stiffness of steel.
How did they do it? They made lots of smaller designs and then joined them together to make 3D shapes.
This method allowed them to make structures that were not only strong but could also change shape when force was applied. This means they could be useful for robots and other devices that need to move.
Usually, these types of materials are very complex and hard to make on a big scale. Traditional methods like 3D printing struggle with this, especially if the designs are large. But the MIT team used kirigami to overcome these problems.
They took a well-known origami design, adapted it, and then used special machines to cut and fold metal into the desired shape. The result? Ultra-strong structures made of aluminum that can bear heavy loads but are incredibly lightweight.
This new method of making structures has lots of potential. It could revolutionize industries like aerospace, where weight is crucial, or construction, where strong yet lightweight materials could replace heavy steel and concrete.
James Coleman, a designer not involved in the research, believes this could change the way we build in the future, leading to stronger, lighter, and more creative buildings.
Aside from practical uses, the MIT team also showcased the artistic side of their work. They created large-scale art pieces from aluminum, displaying them at the MIT Media Lab.
These pieces, which are several meters long, were made quickly and efficiently, proving that the combination of art and science can lead to powerful results.
The researchers acknowledge that while their method is groundbreaking, it’s not yet perfect.
They’re working on making design tools that are user-friendly, and they’re looking for ways to reduce the computing effort required for their designs.
In the end, this fusion of an ancient art with modern science could be a game-changer. Lightweight yet strong materials could soon be within reach, all thanks to the inspiration drawn from kirigami.
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Source: MIT.
