MIT Engineers Develop New Method for Testing Impact Resistance of Metamaterials
In a recent breakthrough, engineers at MIT have developed a new testing method that can quickly assess the impact resistance of various metamaterial structures. Metamaterials are artificial materials with unique properties that do not occur naturally, such as altering the properties of light and electromagnetic waves.
The new method involves suspending tiny metamaterial lattices between microstructures and launching small particles at supersonic speeds towards the material. High-speed cameras are then used to capture the impact with nanosecond precision, allowing researchers to identify which metamaterial architectures are more resistant to supersonic impacts.
The team found that while the supersonic particles created small punctures in the lattice metamaterial, the material remained intact. In comparison, when the same particles were tested on a solid amorphous material of the same mass at the same speed, larger cracks formed and spread rapidly, causing the material to collapse. Materials with an octagonal microstructure were found to be the strongest, with each unit mass of the metamaterial able to withstand double the impact of bulk materials.
The researchers hope that this new testing method will help scientists identify new applications for impact-resistant structures, such as spacecraft, vehicles, helmets, and more. They also plan to use the method to discover novel metamaterial designs for stronger and more durable structures, such as lightweight protective gear, coatings, and panels.
The findings of the study were recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), showcasing the potential of this new testing tool in accelerating materials research and development.