Imagine a single piece of material that can change its shape, stiffness, and function—on demand—like a Swiss Army knife made of plastic. That's what researchers at the Harbin Institute of Technology have created with their new 4D-printed "smart" metamaterials, capable of reprogramming themselves for different tasks without any extra tools or infrastructure.
Reported in in the International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing, these multi-material, multi-responsive, multi-shape shape memory polymer (SMP) gradient metamaterials can twist, bend, stiffen, or soften in response to light, heat, electricity, or magnetic fields. They can hold multiple shapes at once and shift between them as needed—something conventional metamaterials simply can't do after manufacturing.
"This is a step toward truly intelligent materials that adapt like living systems," says Academician Jinsong Leng, co-author of the study. "We're moving from static designs to materials that can sense, decide, and act."
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