Print the pageScientists has been exploring new materials which can be freely adjusted in its hardness and softness, compression and expansion. The research team discovers materials’ elasticity is the key. By achieving a topological transition in a special packing derived network, the team designs a unique network structure based on the packing of particles and observes a new topological elastic transition. By adding or reducing network connections near this topological transition, the team realises the free adjustment of elastic modulus in which the soft, hard, expanding and shrinking properties of the materials can be widely adjusted. There can be a wide range of potential applications in industry and our life.
Uniqueness and Competitive Advantages:
- Within one system, the shear and bulk moduli can be increased or decreased independently
- Within one system, Poisson’s ratio can be tuned from positive to negative
- A wide tuning can be easily achieved by connecting or disconnecting small amount to connections
- Has potentials in developing building materials, anti-vibration materials and impact protection materials