New type of rotation of chiral mechanical metamaterials

Abstract

In this work, it is shown experimentally for the first time that chiral mechanical metamaterials can induce their own global rotational motion, i.e. the rotation of the entire system with respect to its centre of mass, without any external forces acting on it. To better understand this effect, which is very different from other types of deformations studied in the literature and offers an insight into what aspects of dynamic behaviour of mechanical metamaterials are yet to be discovered, a number of different prototypes of chiral systems are analysed where it is shown what type of a design allows to maximise the extent of the exhibited rotation. In addition to this, the theoretical model corresponding to computer simulations utilising the Molecular Dynamics approach is proposed and used to establish the hypothetical limit of the considered phenomenon. It is also discussed what are the parameters that can be used in order to fine-tune the extent of the global rotation exhibited by chiral systems. Finally, it is discussed that the concept studied in this work can be used in numerous applications such as satellites, spacecraft, telescopes employed in space as well as novel robotics to control their global rotational motion.