Project Description:

Architected material can be described as materials with carefully designed meso-structures that can achieve novel emergent properties that are out of reach for conventional materials. On the other hand, most natural materials are complex composites whose mechanical properties are often outstanding, considering the weak constituents from which they are assembled. The secret is through their hierarchical architectures that are synthesized through a bottom-up process. Our team has unveiled key mechanisms emphasizing the need to control shape, topology and size of the building blocks and their architectures to trigger the most important mechanisms to promote novel emerging properties. Our team has also shown that architected materials can exhibit properties which are not found in naturally occurring materials. For example, mechanical instabilities associated with irreversible deformation of the building blocks of these architected materials can be exploited to mimic the ability of shape memory alloys to do work against an external resistance, using their shape memory effect or be used as reusable impact protection systems to adaptive load-bearing structures using their pseudo-elastic behavior. The aim of this postdoctoral project is to engineer, fabricate and test innovative architected materials for new emerging behaviors and enhanced properties.

Start Date:

2023

Postdoc Qualifications:

Postdoctoral researchers with background in structure and mechanics of materials or chemical engineering, materials science, or chemistry with experience in: polymer science, energy applications. More specifically, PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Materials Engineering, Biological, Biomedical, Aerospace Engineering, or closely related fields. Experience with computational modeling is preferred. Experience with 3D printing and experimental characterization of materials is a plus. Interested candidates should have strong organizational, written, and verbal skills, and an interest and ability to work both independently and collaboratively. While open-ended, it is envisioned that this project will combine elements of simple organic synthesis, theory and engineering.

Co-Advisors:

Prof. Jeffrey Younglood, jpyoungb@purdue.edu, School of Materials Engineering, https://engineering.purdue.edu/MSE/people/ptProfile?resource_id=11541
Prof. Pablo Zavattieri, zavattie@purdue.edu, Lyles School of Civil Engineering, http://engineering.purdue.edu/~zavattie

Bibliography:

[1] D. Restrepo, N.D. Mankame, P.D. Zavattieri, "Phase Transforming Cellular Materials", Extreme Mechanics Letters, 4, pp. 52-60 2015.
[2] Y. Zhang, D. Restrepo, M. Velay-Lizancos, N.D. Mankame & P. D. Zavattieri, “Energy dissipation in functionally two-dimensional phase transforming cellular materials”, Scientific Reports, 9:12581, 2019.
[3] Y. Zhang, D. Restrepo, M. Velay-Lizancos, N. D. Mankame, P. D. Zavattieri, “Temperature and stress-induced recovery in phase transforming cellular materials”, Matter, 4 (6), pp. 1990-2012, 2021.
[4] D. Restrepo, N.D. Mankame and P.D. Zavattieri , “Programmable materials based on periodic cellular solids. Part I: Experiments”, International Journal of Solids and Structures, 100-101, pp. 485–504, 2016.
[5] N. Suksangpanya, N. Yaraghi, D. Kisailus, P. Zavattieri, “Twisting cracks in Bouligand structures. Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials, 76, pp. 38-57, 2017.