Exploring extreme environments in deep space and deep sea needs novel structures that are not only passive, load-carrying components but also active systems that can morph, sense, communicate, harvest energy, etc. All of these systems will be integrated into lightweight, compact, and shape-adaptive configurations. There will be no clear borderline between structures and systems. 

We combine mechanics, materials, and manufacturing to 1) establish the fundamental understanding required to enable adaptive and multifunctional structural systems for exploring previously inaccessible extreme environments, and 2) fabricate, demonstrate, and test the prototypes of these structural systems. Please see our recent publications for more details.

 

Recent Publications:

8. Harnessing the interface mechanics of hard films and soft substrates for 3D assembly by controlled buckling

Yuan Liu, Xueju Wang, Yameng Xu, Zhaoguo Xue, Yi Zhang, Xin Ning, Xu Cheng, Yeguang Xue, Di Lu, Qihui Zhang, Fan Zhang, Jianxing Liu, Xiaogang Guo, Keh-Chih Hwang, Yonggang Huang, John A. Rogers, and Yihui Zhang

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1907732116

 

7. Soft 3D Microscale Vibratory Platforms for Characterization of Nano-Thin Polymer Films

Kewang Nan†, Heling Wang†, Xin Ning†(co-first author), Kali A. Miller, Chen Wei, Yunpeng Liu, HAIBO LI, Yeguang Xue, Zhaoqian Xie, Haiwen Luan, Yihui Zhang, Yonggang Huang*, John A. Rogers*, and Paul V. Braun*

ACS Nano, 2018. DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.8b0673

 

6. Mechanically active materials in three-dimensional mesostructures

Xin Ning†, Xinge Yu†, Heling Wang†, Rujie Sun, Rebecca Corman, Haibo Li, Chan Mi Lee, Yeguang Xue, Aditya Chempakasseril, Yao Yao, Ziqi Zhang, Haiwen Luan, Zizheng Wang, Wei Xia, Xue Feng, Randy H. Ewoldt, Yonggang Huang, Yihui Zhang*, and John A. Rogers*

Science Advances, Vol. 4, no. 9, eaat8313, 2018. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aat8313

 

5. Assembly of advanced materials into three-dimensional functional structures by methods inspired by origami and kirigami: a review

Xin Ning†, Xueju Wang†, Yi Zhang, Xinge Yu, Dongwhi Choi, Ning Zheng, Dong Sung Kim, Yonggang Huang, Yihui Zhang, and John A. Rogers*

Advanced Materials Interfaces 5, 1800284. DOI: 10.1002/admi.201800284

 

4. Viscoelastic characteristics of mechanically assembled three-dimensional structures formed by compressive buckling

Haibo Li, Xi Wang, Feng Zhu, Xin Ning, Heling Wang*, John A. Rogers, Yihui Zhang, Yonggang Huang

Journal of Applied Mechanics 85, no. 12 (2018): 121002. DOI: 10.1115/1.4041163

 

3. 3D tunable, multiscale, and multistable vibrational micro-platforms assembled by compressive buckling

Xin Ning†, Heling Wang†, Xinge Yu†, Julio A.N.T. Soares, Zheng Yan, Kewang Nan, Gabriel Velarde, Yeguang Xue, Rujie Sun, Qiyi Dong, Haiwen Luan, Chan Mi Lee, Aditya Chempakasseril, Yiqi Wang, Luming Li, Yonggang Huang, Yihui Zhang*, and John A. Rogers*

Advanced Functional Materials, 2017, 27, 1605914. DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201605914

 

2. Vibration of mechanically-assembled 3D microstructures by compressive buckling

Heling Wang, Xin Ning, Haibo Li, Haiwen Luan, Yeguang Xue, Zhichao Fan, John A. Rogers, Yihui Zhang*, and Yonggang Huang*

Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, Volume 112, March 2018, Pages 187-208. DOI: 10.1016/j.jmps.2017.12.002

 

1. Engineered elastomer substrates for guided assembly of complex 3D mesostructures by spatially non-uniform compressive buckling

Kewang Nan†, Haiwen Luan†, Zheng Yan, Xin Ning, Yiqi Wang, Ao Wang, Juntong Wang, Mengdi Han, Matthew Chang, Kan Li, Yutong Zhang, Wen Huang, Yeguang Xue, Yuming Li, Yonggang Huang, Yihui Zhang* and John A. Rogers*

Advanced Functional Materials. 2017, 27, 1604281. DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201604281