Magnetic Lantern Moves Like It’s Alive – Scientists Create Novel Device
- Researchers at North Carolina State University (NC State) have created a novel polymer structure, resembling a Chinese lantern, capable of rapidly transforming into over a dozen curved, three-dimensional...
- Researchers began with a thin polymer sheet, precisely cut into a diamond-shaped parallelogram.
- "This basic shape is, by itself, bistable," explains Jie Yin, corresponding author of the research and a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at NC State.
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Shape-Shifting “Chinese Lantern” Structures Pave Way for Advanced Robotics and Materials
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Researchers at North Carolina State University (NC State) have created a novel polymer structure, resembling a Chinese lantern, capable of rapidly transforming into over a dozen curved, three-dimensional forms. This shape-shifting ability is triggered by compression, twisting, or a remotely applied magnetic field, perhaps revolutionizing fields like mechanical metamaterials and robotics.
The “Lantern” Design and Its Capabilities
The core of this innovation lies in a unique design. Researchers began with a thin polymer sheet, precisely cut into a diamond-shaped parallelogram. A series of evenly spaced lines were then sliced through the center, creating parallel ribbons connected by solid strips of material at the top and bottom. Joining the ends of these strips causes the sheet to naturally fold into a rounded, lantern-like shape.
“This basic shape is, by itself, bistable,” explains Jie Yin, corresponding author of the research and a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at NC State. Bistability means the structure can remain in one of two stable states – in this case, different curved configurations – without requiring continuous energy input to maintain its form.
Conceptual illustration of the polymer “lantern” structure and its ability to morph into different 3D shapes. (Placeholder image)
applications in metamaterials and Robotics
The potential applications of this technology are vast. The researchers envision assembling these lantern units into complex 2D and 3D architectures,creating shape-morphing mechanical metamaterials with programmable properties.Metamaterials are engineered materials with properties not found in nature, and this new approach offers a dynamic way to control those properties.
“Moving forward, these lantern units can be assembled into 2D and 3D architectures for broad applications in shape-morphing mechanical metamaterials and robotics,” Yin states. ”We will be exploring that.” This could lead to the progress of robots that can adapt their shape to navigate complex environments,or materials that can change their stiffness or density on demand.
Research Details and Funding
The findings were published on October 10, 2024, in the prestigious journal Nature materials. Nature Materials is a leading peer-reviewed scientific journal covering all aspects of materials science.
The research team included caizhi Zhou and Haitao Qing, both Ph.D.students at NC State, and Yinding Chi, a former Ph.D. student at NC State now a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Pennsylvania. The work was supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under grants 2005374, 2369274, and 2445551. The National Science Foundation is an independent federal agency created to promote the progress of science and engineering.
| Grant Number | NSF Program | Focus Area |
|---|---|---|
| 2005374 | mechanics of Materials | Novel Material Design |
| 2369274 | Division of Materials Research |