Project Description

Microarchitected materials, characterized by intricately designed meso-structures, possess exceptional emergent properties that surpass those of conventional materials. Similarly, natural materials, despite being composed of weaker constituents, exhibit remarkable mechanical properties owing to their hierarchical architectures synthesized through a bottom-up process. Our research team has made significant strides in unraveling key mechanisms and highlighting the importance of shape, topology, and size control of building blocks and their architectures in triggering novel emerging properties. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that architected materials can display unique characteristics absent in naturally occurring materials. For instance, leveraging mechanical instabilities resulting from irreversible deformation of these materials' building blocks, we can mimic the work capacity of shape memory alloys and utilize their shape memory effect. Additionally, we can harness their pseudo-elastic behavior to create reusable impact protection systems for adaptive load-bearing structures. In this postdoctoral project, our primary objective is to engineer, fabricate, and examine innovative architected materials that exhibit new emergent behaviors and enhanced properties based on non-metallic materials. Notably, we will explore the potential of fast 3D printing as a means to achieve scalable production of these materials. Like newspaper printing, we aim for both speed and precision in 3D printing microarchitected materials. 

Start Date

Summer 2025

Post Doc Qualifications

We seek a highly motivated and talented postdoctoral researcher to join our interdisciplinary research team. The successful candidate will contribute to advancing our research in the design, development, manufacturing, testing, and analysis of microarchitected materials. Postdoctoral researchers with a background in structure and mechanics of materials or chemical engineering, materials science, or chemistry with experience in: polymer science, energy applications. More specifically, Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Civil Engineering, Biological, Biomedical, Aerospace Engineering, or closely related fields; with solid or structural mechanics’ background. 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

Carlos Martinez, School of Materials Engineering

Pablo Zavattieri, Lyles School of Civil and Construction Engineering

Collaborator

Jeffrey Youngblood, School of Materials Engineering

Bibliography