Sea sponges inspire strong, lightweight metamaterials

Researchers from UC Berkeley, Harvard and Istanbul Technical University developed an automated method to optimize metamaterials based on the glass sponge Euplectella aspergillum. Optimized lattices achieved a 140% average increase in critical buckling load while reducing drag, lift and vortex shedding. The findings were published in Nature Communications.

• Critical buckling load increased by an average of 140% over baseline designs
• Drag, lift and vortex shedding reduced at porosities as low as 5%
• Method combines FEA, CFD and 3D printing to test hundreds of designs
• Applications span aircraft parts, underwater pipelines, stents and buildings