A Modular Origami-inspired Mechanical Metamaterial

Abstract: Mechanical metamaterials with complex microstructures have superior physical properties such as graded stiffness, negative Poisson's ratio, and advantage in energy absorption. In recent years, origami provide many inspirations in the geometry structure of the metamaterials. Here we present a modular origami inspired reconfigurable metamaterial. Our approach exploits a transformable module consisted of the Sarrus linkage and planar four-bar linkage, and the modules are connected following a tessellation pattern to form a periodic structure. Different arrangements, module shapes and grid pattern of the metamaterial are discussed, and the loading capacity and stiffness variation are analysed experimentally. The proposed material can be used to realize reconfigurable structures or architectures over a wide range of length scales.