A multi-university research team led by North Carolina State University will
be developing methods to create 2D materials capable of folding themselves into
3D objects when exposed to light. The effort, which is funded by a grant from
the National Science Foundation (NSF), is inspired by origami and has a broad
range of potential applications.
“We’re pulling together a diverse team of designers, engineers, and
mathematicians to advance our understanding of how to manipulate photoresponsive
materials,” says Jan Genzer, Celanese Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular
Engineering at NC State and the primary investigator under the NSF grant. “Ultimately, we hope to develop new techniques that have applications ranging
from electronics to high-volume manufacturing to the delivery of humanitarian
relief.” The NSF grant is for approximately $1.76 million over four years.
Specifically, the researchers plan to use experiments and computational
models to evaluate the folding process in order to develop new multifunctional
3D structures that can form rapidly while retaining precise control over their
shape. Because the patterns will be on 2D materials, the process should be
compatible with high-throughput patterning techniques, such as roll-to-roll
patterning used in electronics manufacturing.
Potential applications include the development of unfoldable air foils that
could be used for airdrops of humanitarian supplies with greater precision;
hands-free assembly of electronics in a “clean” environment; or various packaging
and manufacturing processes.
The research team includes Genzer; Michael Dickey, an assistant professor of
chemical and biomolecular engineering at NC State; Yong Zhu, an assistant
professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at NC State; Susan Brandeis,
Distinguished Professor of Art and Design at NC State; Alan Russell, of Elon
University, who has studied origami for more than 30 years; Emily Beck, of
Meredith College; and Rich Vaia, of the Air Force Research Laboratory. The
grant will also support four to five graduate students and post-doctoral
research associates.
The research effort builds on earlier research from NC State, which detailed
a simple way to convert 2D patterns into 3D objects using only light. In that
work, the researcher ran pre-stressed plastic sheets through a conventional
inkjet printer to print bold black lines on the material. The material was then
cut into a desired pattern and placed under an infrared light, such as a heat
lamp. Because the bold black lines absorbed more energy than the rest of the
material, the plastic contracted—creating a hinge that folded the sheets into 3D
shapes.
Source: North Carolina State University