Researchers from Drexel University and the University of British Columbia have developed a new way to improve wireless technology using kirigami, the ancient Japanese art of cutting and folding paper into 3D shapes.
Their innovative approach could revolutionize how antennas, essential for wireless communication, are made and used.
Published in Nature Communications, the research shows how kirigami can be used to create flexible and tunable antennas from a single sheet of material coated with a special ink.
These antennas can change their shape to adjust how they transmit electromagnetic waves, offering a simpler, more cost-effective solution compared to traditional antennas.
What makes Kirigami special?
Kirigami, a variation of origami, involves cutting and folding a flat material to create intricate 3D designs.
The researchers used this technique to transform a sheet of acetate coated with conductive MXene ink into a microwave antenna.
MXene is a special material that was discovered in 2011 and is known for its ability to efficiently transmit radio waves.
The resulting antenna can be easily adjusted by pulling or squeezing the material, which slightly changes its shape and, in turn, its transmission frequency.
This flexibility makes the antenna lightweight, durable, and easy to manufacture, ideal for use in fields like robotics and aerospace where components need to be adaptable and strong.
Advantages over traditional antennas
Standard antennas can either be reconfigured electronically or by changing their physical shape, but both methods can make them bulky, expensive, and prone to malfunction.
By using kirigami, the researchers demonstrated a simpler way to adjust an antenna’s performance by physically changing its shape, without adding extra circuitry.
The kirigami antennas are also versatile and can be made in many different shapes and sizes. To create the test antennas, the researchers coated a sheet of acetate with MXene ink, which stuck strongly to the material and allowed the antennas to function effectively.
By making cuts in the MXene-coated sheet, they were able to form 3D antennas that could change their transmission characteristics depending on the shape and tension applied.
The kirigami antennas proved successful in transmitting signals across three commonly used microwave frequency bands: 2-4 GHz, 4-8 GHz, and 8-12 GHz. The researchers also showed that by changing the shape of the antenna, they could control the direction of the transmitted waves.
Additionally, the antennas demonstrated the ability to act as strain sensors, useful for monitoring the condition of infrastructure like buildings.
Looking ahead, the team plans to explore new materials and shapes to further improve the performance of these antennas. Inspired by kirigami’s wide range of forms, they aim to develop even more versatile and efficient wireless components for future technologies.
“We believe this approach could simplify the manufacturing process for new wireless technology,” said Omid Niksan, one of the researchers from the University of British Columbia. “This is just the first step, and we’re excited to see where it leads.”
