Using self-aware metamaterials for a potential of wide variety of applications

Credit: iSMaRT Lab

The ability to sense a flaw or defect can be very much put to good use in saving lives and such.

The Intelligent Structural Monitoring and Response Testing (iSMaRT) Lab at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering has designed a new class of materials that can work as sensors and also as nanogenerators. The metamaterials act as triboelectric nanogenerators which generate electric signals under mechanical excitations, when under any applied pressure, the conductive and di-electric layers come in contact and produce current, and the generated electricity can be used for active sensing or can be stored for empowering sensors and embedded electronics. These SCMM (Self-aware Composite Mechanical Metamaterial) systems can be used in many appliances, ranging from monitoring health to mechanical parts.

The design of these metamaterials can be used at the nanoscale and even at bigger scales. by changing the geometry. And due to its scalability, and different functionalities this could just be the next generation materials that are adaptive and multifunctional. 

The materials rely on performance tailored design and assembly of material microstructures for self-sensing instead of using carbon fibers. And the metamaterials have outstanding mechanical properties, with negative compressibility and ultra-high resistance to deform. Such materials can produce hundreds of watts of power at large scales. “Our most exciting contribution is that we are engineering new aspects of intelligence into the texture of metamaterials. We can literally transform any material system into sensing mediums and nanogenerators under this concept,” said Gloria Zhang, co-lead author and doctoral student in Alavi’s lab. 

The researchers have created many designs for aerospace, medical, and civil engineering applications. Using a heart stent to monitor blood flow and detect signs of restenosis. To use the design in bridges to detect defects in its structure. And may even be used in space exploration one day. 

The materials are themselves light in mass, low in density, and also low in cost, and can be produced by a large range of organic and inorganic materials, and these properties just make these materials revolutionary with a huge potential which can be used at any scales. 

“To fully understand the huge potential of this technology, imagine how we can even adapt this concept to build structurally sound self-powering space habitats using only indigenous materials on Mars and beyond. We are actually looking into this right now,” said Amir Alavi, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering and bioengineering, leading the iSMaRT Lab. “You can create nano-, micro-, macro-and mega-scale material systems under this concept. That is why I am confident that this invention can build the foundations for a new generation of engineering living structures that respond to the external stimuli, self-monitor their condition, and power themselves.”

Materials that can forever change and revolutionize appliances with a low economical cost, and that is pretty cool.

Refrence: DOI:10.1016/j.nanoen.2021.106074