Newswise — COLUMBIA, Mo. – COLUMBIA, Mo. – Over the course of a decade, Guoliang Huang, the Huber and Helen Croft Chair in Engineering at the University of Missouri, has explored the atypical characteristics of "metamaterials" — a synthetic substance displaying uncommon traits outside the realm of nature as dictated by Newton's motion principles — in his enduring quest to create a perfect metamaterial.
Huang's aim is to facilitate the manipulation of "flexible" energy waves traversing through substantial structures, like an airplane, without relying on illumination and diminutive "metastructures."
"For numerous years, I have dedicated my efforts to tackling the task of employing mathematical mechanics for engineering predicaments," Huang stated. "Traditional approaches come with several constraints, such as bulkiness and heft. Therefore, I have delved into the exploration of discovering an alternative resolution by utilizing a lightweight material that is compact yet capable of managing the low-frequency oscillation emanating from a more substantial structure, such as an aircraft."
Now, Huang has made significant progress towards his objective. In a recent publication in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), Huang and his colleagues have successfully engineered a preliminary metamaterial that utilizes electrical signals to regulate both the trajectory and strength of energy waves as they traverse a solid substance.
His innovative design holds the potential for diverse applications in both military and commercial domains. These applications encompass the ability to govern radar waves by directing them towards a designated region for object detection purposes, as well as managing vibrations generated by airborne turbulence during aircraft flights.
"This particular metamaterial exhibits an unusual mass density," Huang explained. "Consequently, the force and acceleration do not align in the same direction, offering us an unconventional means to tailor the structural dynamics or characteristics of an object, challenging Newton's second law."
"For instance, this metamaterial could prove valuable in monitoring the structural health of civil infrastructure, such as bridges and pipelines, by serving as active transducers. It would aid in the identification of potential damages that may be difficult to detect with the naked eye."
Editor’s Note: For more on the story, please see:
- Creating an artificial material that can sense, adapt to its environment
- Designing a flexible material to protect buildings, military personnel
- Aviation Enhancements, Better Biosensors Could Result from New Sensor Technology
- Scientists ‘bend’ acoustic and elastic waves with new metamaterials that could have commercial applications
Journal Link: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
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