magine airplane wings that can change shape in mid-air or a material that can curve, bulge or twist without the need for expensive and heavy motors or hydraulics. Imagine a material that gets thicker when stretched, unlike conventional materials that get thinner – a substance that could be used in anything from a mattress to an airplane. The implications are enormous.
Now, thanks to a new European Union-funded project CHISMACOMB (CHIral SMArt honeyCOMB), led by University of Bristol researchers, this innovative new technology is set to make this a reality.
The project has developed an auxetic, honeycomb-structure material which becomes thicker when stretched, allowing greater flexibility without compromising strength.
“These materials offer exciting new possibilities and change the nature of how composite materials, in particular carbon fibre cellular structures, can be used to gain even greater advantages from them.”
clipped from: physorg.com