I-Corps: Cellular Materials for Maximum Lightweighting and Structural Efficiency

University Of California-Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara CA

Investigators

Abstract

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-corps project can affect many industries and applications where lightweight structures and materials are advantageous. Cellular materials, such as honeycombs, foams, and lattice materials, are some of the lightest, stiffest, and strongest available at moderate to low density. There is an ever present demand for lighter, stiffer and stronger materials in industries such as aerospace, automotive, defense, civil engineering, sports equipment. Lighter materials are demanded by users to experience enhanced performance, and they are sought by producers to gain a competitive edge. This project aims to find commercial applications for an ultra-lightweight cellular materials geometry-a type of 3D honeycomb-that achieves theoretical upper limits for structural efficiency and stiffness. This unique geometry is the first of its kind, and can facilitate structures with extreme stiffness, high strength, and maximum lightweight performance. The main focus is to identify opportunities in unmanned aerial vehicles for defense and commercial use. This I-Corps project assesses the commercial viability of a 3D honeycomb-like material geometry, and the Intellectual Merit encompasses establishing the commercial utility of the accompanying design, analysis and experimental scheme, which enables the creation of lightweight optimized structures with maximum stiffness and very high strength. This design is composed of two highly anisotropic subgeometries whose contributions can be tailored locally, through simple design parameters, to produce functionally graded and highly optimized structures. The symmetries and alignments of material are unique in 3D space. The relatively simple geometry can be fabricated through origami like sheet folding, allowing access to a multitude of material systems and very low density structures. This design was generated using a semi-automated finite element modeling algorithm, which allowed for a wide variety of designs to be considered.