No Arabic abstract
Metamaterials achieve unprecedented properties from designed architected structures. However, they are often constructed from a single repeating building block that exhibits monotonic shape changes with single degree of freedom, thereby leading to specific spatial forms and limited reconfigurability. Here we introduce a transformable three-dimensional modular kirigami with multiple degrees of freedom that could reconfigure into versatile distinct daughter building blocks. Consequently, the combinatorial and spatial modular assembly of these building blocks could create a wealth of reconfigurable architected materials with diverse structures and unique properties, including reconfigurable 1D periodic column-like materials with bifurcated states, 2D lattice-like architected materials with phase transition of chirality, as well as 3D quasiperiodic yet frustration-free multilayered architected materials in a long-range order with programmable deformation modes. Our strategy opens an avenue to design a new class of modular reconfigurable metamaterials that are reprogrammable and reusable for potential multifunctionality in architectural, phononic, mechanical, and robotic applications.
Kirigami, art of paper cutting, enables two-dimensional sheets transforming into unique shapes which are also hard to reshape once with prescribed cutting patterns. Rare kirigami designs manipulate cuts on three-dimensional objects to compose periodic structures with programmability and/or re-programmability. Here, we propose a new class of three-dimensional modular kirigami by introducing cuts on cuboid-shaped objects, based on which constructing two quasi-three-15 dimensional architected kirigamis with even-flat structural form. We demonstrate the proposed architected kirigamis are with rich mobilities triggered by kinematic bifurcations inherited from their composed modular kirigami, and can undergo living-matter-like metamorphosis evolving into miscellaneous transformable three-dimensional architectures and even a pluripotent platform capable of being re-programmed into curvature different surfaces through inverse design. Such 20 metamorphic structures could find broad applications in reconfigurable metamaterials, transformable robots and architectures.
Architected materials produced by powder bed fusion metal additive manufacturing technique offer realization of complex structural hierarchies that mimic the principles of crystal plasticity while still being ultralight-weight, though suffering from deep-rooted multiscale defects including microstructural heterogeneity caused by the complex thermo-mechanical transients in the melt pool. Here we manufacture meta-crystal 316L stainless steel microlattice structures by selective laser melting process for utilizing the strain localization mechanism in bulk structures akin to dislocation slip mediated plasticity. The build angle was observed to be the primary influencer of defects generated and the presence of inherent voids was the major drawback that would undermine their structural performance as mechanical metamaterials. However, other defects in the form of spatially correlated dislocation networks and micro-segregated cellular substructures overcome the strength-ductility trade-off and render the bulk structures comparable to other engineering materials including conventional steels. By exploiting this intrinsic strengthening mechanism, the bond strength of meta-crystals (i.e. strut strength) can be enhanced (or controlled) on top of employing hardening principles of metallurgy to design materials with desired properties.
Recently it was suggested that transient excitonic instability can be realized in optically-pumped two-dimensional (2D) Dirac materials (DMs), such as graphene and topological insulator surface states. Here we discuss the possibility of achieving a transient excitonic condensate in optically-pumped three-dimensional (3D) DMs, such as Dirac and Weyl semimetals, described by non-equilibrium chemical potentials for photoexcited electrons and holes. Similar to the equilibrium case with long-range interactions, we find that for pumped 3D DMs with screened Coulomb potential two possible excitonic phases exist, an excitonic insulator phase and the charge density wave phase originating from intranodal and internodal interactions, respectively. In the pumped case, the critical coupling for excitonic instability vanishes; therefore, the two phases coexist for arbitrarily weak coupling strengths. The excitonic gap in the charge density wave phase is always the largest one. The competition between screening effects and the increase of the density of states with optical pumping results in a reach phase diagram for the transient excitonic condensate. Based on the static theory of screening, we find that under certain conditions for the value of the dimensionless coupling constant screening in 3D DMs can be weaker than in 2D DMs. Furthermore, we identify the signatures of the transient excitonic condensate that could be probed by scanning tunneling spectroscopy, photoemission and optical conductivity measurements. Finally, we provide estimates of critical temperatures and excitonic gaps for existing and hypothetical 3D DMs.
Van der Waals heterostructure based on layered two-dimensional (2D) materials offers unprecedented opportunities to create materials with atomic precision by design. By combining superior properties of each component, such heterostructure also provides possible solutions to address various challenges of the electronic devices, especially those with vertical multilayered structures. Here, we report the realization of robust memristors for the first time based on van der Waals heterostructure of fully layered 2D materials (graphene/MoS2-xOx/graphene) and demonstrate a good thermal stability lacking in traditional memristors. Such devices have shown excellent switching performance with endurance up to 107 and a record-high operating temperature up to 340oC. By combining in situ high-resolution TEM and STEM studies, we have shown that the MoS2-xOx switching layer, together with the graphene electrodes and their atomically sharp interfaces, are responsible for the observed thermal stability at elevated temperatures. A well-defined conduction channel and a switching mechanism based on the migration of oxygen ions were also revealed. In addition, the fully layered 2D materials offer a good mechanical flexibility for flexible electronic applications, manifested by our experimental demonstration of a good endurance against over 1000 bending cycles. Our results showcase a general and encouraging pathway toward engineering desired device properties by using 2D van der Waals heterostructures.
Using confocal Raman and fluorescence spectroscopic imaging in 3-dimensions, we show direct evidence for Nd3+-Nd3+ interactions across grain boundaries (GBs) in Nd3+:YAG laser ceramics. It is clearly shown that Nd3+ segregation takes place at GBs leading to self-fluorescence quenching which affects a volume fraction as high as 20%. In addition, we show a clear trend of increasing spatial inhomogeneities in Nd3+ concentration when the doping levels exceeds 3 at%, which is not detected by standard spectrometry techniques. These results could point the way to further improvements in what is already an impressive class of ceramic laser materials.