Vehicles can get improved crash protection with adaptive metamaterials

Researchers from universities in Scotland and Italy have developed a novel 3D-printed twisting metamaterial designed to improve crash protection in vehicles. Unlike traditional static protective materials, this new material features a unique gyroid lattice structure that twists upon impact, allowing it to mechanically adapt its energy absorption properties. By adjusting boundary conditions, the material can provide either stiffer resistance for heavy collisions or softer cushioning for lighter impacts, all without the need for complex electronics or hydraulics. This adaptive behavior is achieved through mechanical control of rotation, converting compressive forces into torsional motion that dissipates energy efficiently. Manufactured using additive techniques with FE7131 steel, the material’s architecture enables nonlinear responses and geometry-induced torsional actuation, classifying it as a subclass of architected lattices governed by micropolar elasticity. Laboratory tests under both rapid impacts and quasi-static compression demonstrated that constraining the material’s twist maximizes stiffness and energy absorption, reaching up to 15.36 joules per gram. The research,