Exotic mechanical properties enabled by countersnapping instabilities

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 122, pp. e2423301122

Abstract

Mechanical snapping instabilities are leveraged by natural systems, metamaterials, and devices for rapid sensing, actuation, and shape changes, as well as to absorb impact. In all current forms of snapping, shapes deform in the same direction as the exerted forces, even though there is no physical law that dictates this. Here, we realize countersnapping mechanical structures that respond in the opposite way. In contrast to regular snapping, countersnapping manifests itself in a sudden shortening transition under increasing tension or a sudden increase in tensile force under increasing extension. We design these structures by combining basic flexible building blocks that leverage geometric nonlinearities. We demonstrate experimentally that countersnapping can be employed to obtain new exotic properties, such as unidirectional stick-slip motion, switchable stiffness that does not otherwise affect the state of the system, and passive resonance avoidance. Moreover, we demonstrate that combining multiple countersnapping elements allows sequential stiffness switching for elements coupled in parallel, or instantaneous collective switching for elements in series. By expanding the repertoire of realizable elastic instabilities, our work opens routes to principles for mechanical sensing, computation, and actuation.

Authors 4

1. Paul Ducarme

   Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics

   Affiliation as printed

   Autonomous Matter and Infomatter Departments, AMOLF

   Materials Department, Advanced Research Center for Nanolithography

2. Bart Weber

   Van der Waals-Zeeman Institute · University of Amsterdam

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Physics

   Materials Department, Advanced Research Center for Nanolithography

   University of Amsterdam

   Van der Waals-Zeeman Institute

3. Martin van Hecke corresponding Aachen Leiden Institute of Physics (LION)

   Leiden University · Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics

   Affiliation as printed

   Autonomous Matter and Infomatter Departments, AMOLF

   Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Lab

   Leiden Institute of Physics

   Universiteit Leiden

4. Johannes T. B. Overvelde corresponding

   Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics · Eindhoven University of Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   Autonomous Matter and Infomatter Departments, AMOLF

   Department of Mechanical Engineering, Institute for Complex Molecular Systems

   Eindhoven University of Technology