Controlling bond-bending forces in disordered meta-material networks

ORAL

Abstract

Disordered elastic networks can be tuned to have unconventional response by pruning bonds selectively. This has been demonstrated in simulations of networks consisting of harmonic, central-force springs between nodes. We have experimentally built such networks by laser cutting them out of rubber sheets. The bond-bending forces inherent in these realizations significantly and adversely impact the network response and in some cases destroy its ability to exhibit the desired behavior. We can control the strength of bond-bending forces by suitably designing the geometry and aspect ratio of the struts. We can also include bond-bending forces directly into the tuning algorithm. Both strategies allow us to create a desired response in our experimental networks.

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Authors

  • Nidhi Pashine

    University of Chicago

  • Daniel Reid

    University of Chicago

  • Jason W. Rocks

    University of Pennsylvania, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

  • Andrea Liu

    University of Pennsylvania, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA, Department of Physics, University of Pennsylvania

  • Juan de Pablo

    University of Chicago, Institute for Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, IME, The University of Chicago, Univ of Chicago

  • Sidney R. Nagel

    The University of Chicago, University of Chicago, Department of Physics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA, James Franck Institute, Enrico Fermi Institute, and Department of Physics, The University of Chicago, USA, James Franck Institute, University of Chicago