Bistable shell enabled reprogrammable shape-morphing kirigami metamaterials

Abstract

Kirigami tessellation-guided deformation through controlled stretching deployment offers a viable approach to achieve intricate shape-morphing in advanced metamaterials. However, the design process of kirigami metamaterials often incorporates embedded geometric and topological relationships, restricting the target shape of the metamaterials from being modifiable post-fabrication. Inspired by snap-induced morphing, we purpose a reprogrammable shape-morphing kirigami metamaterial with fast response, which can generate the target 3D shape using bistable shells rather than complex cutting patterns and boundary curvatures. Bistable shells can be locally and reversibly switched to generate bending deformation at the global scale. We further explore the relationship between the deformation curvature of a unit and its geometric parameters to guide the metamaterial design. An inverted bistable shell with appropriate geometric parameters can significantly decrease the internal stress among individual units, a desirable feature in kirigami metamaterials for adjusting material stiffness and ensuring predictable, robust deformation during deployment. Utilizing this design strategy, we illustrate the potential applications of such metamaterial as dual-mode soft grippers and protection devices, presenting a new path for designing reprogrammable kirigami metamaterials. This method has promising implications for soft robotics and active deformable devices.