The research objective of this Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program award is to exploit the non-linear behavior of soft structures with purposeful design patterns to create a new class of responsive origami-like materials that use their large deformation and dramatic geometric changes induced by instabilities to change their shape and volume. Possible and exciting applications include reversible encapsulation systems, active materials for on-demand drug delivery, rapidly expandable shelters and robots that can squeeze themselves through small openings and into tight places. Although instabilities have traditionally been viewed as an inconvenience, this proposal will show that they can be exploited to create materials with novel and switchable functionalities. For the proposed research an approach based on a powerful combination of computational analyses and experiments will be used to gain deeper insight into the non-linear behavior of soft patterned structures.
A central goal of this effort is to promote interdisciplinary research and teaching and to increase the interactions between mechanicians, engineers, physicists and material scientists. This will be accomplished by: i) organizing an exhibition at the Harvard Museum of Natural History to promote science and engineering to a broad audience; ii) organizing the 'New England Workshop on the Mechanics of Materials and Structures' to bring together the New England mechanics community and stimulate exchange of ideas and collaborations; iii) involving students of all levels into active research projects and exposing them to concepts from engineering, material science and applied physics; iv) developing new courses with a focus on using powerful numerical techniques, such as the Finite Element Method, in a creative way to reach a broader audience.
