3D Transformable Modular Kirigami Based Programmable Metamaterials

Kirigami, the ancient paper art of cutting, has recently emerged as a new approach to construct metamaterials with novel properties imparted by cuts. However, most studies are limited to thin sheets-based 2D kirigami metamaterials with specific forms and limited reconfigurability due to planar connection constraints of cut units. Here, 3D modular kirigami is introduced by cutting bulk materials into spatially closed-loop connected cut cubes to construct a new class of 3D kirigami metamaterials. The module is transformable with multiple degrees of freedom that can transform into versatile distinct daughter building blocks. Their conformable assembly creates a wealth of reconfigurable and disassemblable metamaterials with diverse structures and unique properties, including reconfigurable 1D column-like materials, 2D lattice-like metamaterials with phase transition of chirality, as well as 3D frustration-free multilayered metamaterials with 3D auxetic behaviors and programmable deformation modes. This study largely expands the design space of kirigami metamaterials from 2D to 3D.

剪纸折纸（Kirigami），这种古老的剪纸艺术，最近已成为一种构建超材料的新方法，这些超材料因裁剪而具有新颖的特性。然而，大多数研究局限于基于薄片的二维剪纸折纸超材料，由于裁剪单元的平面连接限制，它们具有特定的形状且可重构性有限。在此，通过将块状材料切割成空间闭环连接的切割立方体，引入了三维模块化剪纸折纸，以构建一类新的三维剪纸折纸超材料。该模块具有多个自由度可变形，能够转变为多种不同的子构建模块。它们的适形组装创造了大量具有不同结构和独特性能的可重构和可拆卸超材料，包括可重构的一维柱状材料、具有手性相变的二维晶格状超材料，以及具有三维拉胀行为和可编程变形模式的三维无挫折多层超材料。这项研究极大地将剪纸折纸超材料的设计空间从二维扩展到了三维。