Assembled mechanical metamaterials with integrated functionalities of programmable multistability and multitransition behaviors

Abstract

Mechanical metamaterials with integrated functionalities can simultaneously fulfill multiple design requirements through design consolidation, which is highly desirable for weight-sensitive and space-constrained applications. Despite the extensive research on multistable metamaterials, their integration with other functionalities, such as vibration isolation, sensing, and hierarchical energy absorption, remains largely untapped. Here, we report a novel class of mechanical metamaterial featuring programmable multistability and function-oriented multitransition behaviors. This integration is realized through a novel assembly-based design concept that incorporates interchangeable contact block (CB) units into a classical bistable structure. By varying the position, number, and shape of CB units, we can obtain a spectrum of function-oriented transition behaviors, offering reconfigurability through unit replacement. To ensure the rational design of CB, we employ a comprehensive approach that combines theoretical analysis, numerical simulations, and experimental validation to investigate the nonlinear behaviors of these assembled metamaterials, including snap-through instability and contact behaviors. Additionally, we explore design strategies such as 2D arraying and 3D extension to achieve programmable multistability. Furthermore, we demonstrate the versatility of these assembled mechanical metamaterials by constructing digital materials with scalability, reconfigurability, and multidirectionality. The proposed assembly-based design concept breaks new ground in engineering multistable structures with integrated functionalities for deployable structures, robotics, and beyond.