A type of plastic that can be shape-shifted using tempering

Phys.org  February 2, 2024 A team of researchers in the US (University of Chicago, S DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory, NIST, NASA Glenn Research Center, Northwestern University) applied concept of pluripotency to adjust the microstructure of a range of materials, including many metals. They achieved through the inclusion of thia-Michael bonds that are relatively weak and capable of reshuffling at lower temperatures compared with the covalent bonds in the polymer. At higher tempering temperatures, the cross-link density of the thia-Michael network decreased, resulting in a lower stiffness of the material, whereas tempering at lower temperatures created a stiffer material. The material […]

Molecular shape-shifting: New theory on autonomous remodeling of structures

Phys.org  December 13, 2022 The capability to self-organize, like living systems, can only be afforded in non-equilibrium conditions, as evident from the energy-consuming nature of dynamical processes. To achieve automated dynamical control of such self-assembled structures and transitions between them, it is necessary to identify the fundamental aspects of non-equilibrium dynamics that can enable such processes. An international team of researchers (Germany, UK) identified programmable non-reciprocal interactions as a tool to achieve such functionalities. The design rule was composed of reciprocal interactions that led to the equilibrium assembly of the different structures, through a process denoted as multifarious self-assembly, and […]

Shape-shifting materials with infinite possibilities

Phys.org  October 22, 2021 Researchers at Harvard University have created structural materials, they call totimorphic materials, that have an arbitrary range of shape-morphing capabilities. By having a neutrally stable unit cell they could separate the geometry of the material from its mechanical response at both the individual and solved the problem of balancing the needs of conformability and rigidity. They connected individual unit cells with naturally stable joints, building 2-D and 3-D structures from individual totimorphic cells. Using both mathematical modeling and real-world demonstrations they showed the material’s shape-shifting ability. One single sheet of totimorphic cells could curve up, twist […]

Light-induced shape shifting of MXenes

Phys.org  September 1, 2021 MXenes are two-dimensional sheets of transition metal carbides or nitrides in the form of few-atom-thick single layers. An international team of researchers (Germany, Switzerland) has found a new way to enhance the properties of MXenes by shining fast light pulses on them. Using ultrafast electron microscopy with atomic spatial resolution they showed that the laser energy transfers to the atomic lattice in a record-breaking time of merely 230 femtoseconds. They also found that femtosecond laser light can be used to switch back and forth between the originally flat surface structure of the MXene and a nano-wave […]

Shapeshifting crystals: Varying stability in different forms of gallium selenide monolayers

Phys.org  December 24, 2020 Gallium selenide monolayer has been recently discovered to have an alternative crystal structure and has diverse potential applications in electronics. Researchers in Japan studied the structural stability and electronic states of GaSe monolayer with trigonal-antiprismatic (AP) structure by first-principles calculations. The AP-phase GaSe monolayer was found stable, and the differences in energy and lattice constant were small when compared to those calculated for a GaSe monolayer with conventional trigonal-prismatic (P) structure which was found to be the ground state. Moreover, it was revealed that the relative stability of P-phase and AP-phase GaSe monolayers reverses under tensile […]