Node‐Reinforced Design and Selective Remanufacturing of Auxetic Lattice Structures

Abstract

Auxetic structures have many potential applications due to their counterintuitive deformation behavior and desirable mechanical properties. However, auxetic structures have some drawbacks, such as bending or rotational deformation of ligaments, leading to relatively low energy absorption (EA) performance and stability. In this article, designing nodal reinforcement of the sinusoidal lattice is proposed, and silicone rubber is selectively 3D‐printed inside the structure. As a result, under quasi‐static loading, the nodes of the structure improve the EA performance by 214%; compared to resin reinforcement, silicone‐rubber gradient reinforcement not only continues to provide load‐bearing capacity to the structure but also improves EA by a significant 112%. The assignment of silicone‐rubber nodes is found to effectively prevent the lateral slip of the structure after ligament rupture, resulting in a more stable and controllable deformation of the sinusoidally auxetic structure. Under low‐velocity dynamic loading, silicone rubber's designed nodes improve the structure's deformation stability more significantly and enhance the EA performance, which increases with the strain rate. The design and fabrication techniques have the potential for the integrated fabrication of multi‐material lightweight structures with complex shapes, superior mechanical properties, and multifunctional attributes.