Creation of origami-inspired honeycomb structure using self-folding paper

Abstract

The origami technique has been employed in the medical, space, and agricultural industries owing to its low cost and ease of use. In particular, the use of stimuli-responsive materials to automate origami fabrication has garnered interest. In this study, self-folded honeycomb structures (SHSs) were fabricated using the self-folding technique. A sheet of paper undergoes self-folding without human intervention via the physicochemical reactions between the paper and printing solution. Six SHSs with different mechanical properties were fabricated. The relationship between the design and structural parameters was examined. The energy-absorption performance of the structure improved by a factor of 15.2 on employing the optimal parameters. A consistent relationship between the design and compression performance was also discussed. By applying stacking technology, the energy-absorption performance increased by an average of 1753 N·mm per layer. The application of a pre-strain eliminated the compressive force peak that could damage the protected object, while maintaining 90 % of the energy-absorption performance. The proposed technology shows potential for the fabrication of tailored energy absorbers using stimuli-responsive materials, providing a groundbreaking technology for the packaging industry.