Exploring defect-induced deformation in polymeric microlattices using laboratory-based X-ray nanotomography

MRS Communications

Abstract

Defects introduced during additive manufacturing strongly influence the mechanical response of architected materials, yet their evolution under load is difficult to resolve at the micrometer scale. Laboratory-based X-ray nanotomography (nanoCT) at 128 nm voxel size was used here to image tetrahedral polymeric microlattices, printed defect-free and with three omitted beams, during in situ compression. Image registration yielded three-dimensional displacement fields, and finite element simulations reproduced the measured behavior. Displacement was markedly reduced at the defect and recovered in neighboring unit cells, with an accompanying stiffness reduction. Laboratory nanoCT thus provides a practical route to validate models of architected materials.

Authors 7

1. Rafaela Debastiani

   Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany

   Karlsruhe Nano Micro Facility (KNMFi), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany

2. Chantal Kurpiers

   Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute for Applied Materials (IAM), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Kaiserstr. 12, 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany

3. Santiago Gomez Melo

   Heidelberg University

   Affiliation as printed

   Bioquant, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 267, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany

   Institute for Theoretical Physics, Heidelberg University, Philosophenweg 16, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany

4. Johannes W. Blumberg

   Heidelberg University

   Affiliation as printed

   Bioquant, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 267, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany

   Institute for Theoretical Physics, Heidelberg University, Philosophenweg 16, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany

5. Ulrich S. Schwarz

   Heidelberg University

   Affiliation as printed

   Bioquant, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 267, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany

   Institute for Theoretical Physics, Heidelberg University, Philosophenweg 16, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany

6. Peter Gumbsch

   Karlsruhe Institute of Technology · Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials

   Affiliation as printed

   Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials IWM, 79108, Freiburg, Germany

   Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany

7. Ruth Schwaiger corresponding Aachen Faculty 5 Chair of Energy Engineering Materials

   RWTH Aachen University · Forschungszentrum Jülich

   Affiliation as printed

   Faculty 5, Chair of Energy Engineering Materials, RWTH Aachen University, 52056, Aachen, Germany

   Institute of Energy Materials and Devices—Structure and Function of Materials (IMD-1), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425, Jülich, Germany