{"id":18525,"date":"2025-02-18T19:46:50","date_gmt":"2025-02-18T19:46:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/?p=18525"},"modified":"2025-02-18T19:46:52","modified_gmt":"2025-02-18T19:46:52","slug":"how-introducing-disorder-can-make-materials-stronger-and-tougher","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/how-introducing-disorder-can-make-materials-stronger-and-tougher\/","title":{"rendered":"How Introducing Disorder Can Make Materials Stronger and Tougher"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-blockquote uagb-block-e7eb3fc3 uagb-blockquote__skin-border uagb-blockquote__stack-img-none\"><blockquote class=\"uagb-blockquote\"><div class=\"uagb-blockquote__content\">A study reveals that adding controlled disorder to materials can make them significantly tougher and more resistant to cracking, opening new pathways for advanced mechanical designs.<br><\/div><footer><div class=\"uagb-blockquote__author-wrap uagb-blockquote__author-at-left\"><\/div><\/footer><\/blockquote><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-content-justification-space-between is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-0dfbf163 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div style=\"font-size:16px;\" class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-post-author\"><div class=\"wp-block-post-author__content\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-author__name\">The University Network<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share uagb-social-share__outer-wrap uagb-social-share__layout-horizontal uagb-block-ee584a31\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-ec619ce7\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"facebook\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path d=\"M504 256C504 119 393 8 256 8S8 119 8 256c0 123.8 90.69 226.4 209.3 245V327.7h-63V256h63v-54.64c0-62.15 37-96.48 93.67-96.48 27.14 0 55.52 4.84 55.52 4.84v61h-31.28c-30.8 0-40.41 19.12-40.41 38.73V256h68.78l-11 71.69h-57.78V501C413.3 482.4 504 379.8 504 256z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-32d99934\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?url=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"twitter\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path d=\"M389.2 48h70.6L305.6 224.2 487 464H345L233.7 318.6 106.5 464H35.8L200.7 275.5 26.8 48H172.4L272.9 180.9 389.2 48zM364.4 421.8h39.1L151.1 88h-42L364.4 421.8z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-1d136f14\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?url=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"linkedin\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M416 32H31.9C14.3 32 0 46.5 0 64.3v383.4C0 465.5 14.3 480 31.9 480H416c17.6 0 32-14.5 32-32.3V64.3c0-17.8-14.4-32.3-32-32.3zM135.4 416H69V202.2h66.5V416zm-33.2-243c-21.3 0-38.5-17.3-38.5-38.5S80.9 96 102.2 96c21.2 0 38.5 17.3 38.5 38.5 0 21.3-17.2 38.5-38.5 38.5zm282.1 243h-66.4V312c0-24.8-.5-56.7-34.5-56.7-34.6 0-39.9 27-39.9 54.9V416h-66.4V202.2h63.7v29.2h.9c8.9-16.8 30.6-34.5 62.9-34.5 67.2 0 79.7 44.3 79.7 101.9V416z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>In a new study, researchers from Penn Engineering, Penn Arts &amp; Sciences and Aarhus University have uncovered that introducing a controlled amount of disorder into the internal structures of materials can make them significantly tougher. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This finding, <a href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/pnasnexus\/article\/4\/2\/pgaf023\/7985680\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">published<\/a> in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Nexus, could pave the way for the broader application of mechanical metamaterials across various industries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Nature-Inspired Toughness<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The inspiration for this breakthrough came from nature. Materials like human bones and nacre (mother of pearl) feature irregular internal patterns that distribute stress and increase toughness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The research team asked: What if man-made materials could emulate these natural properties?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The findings suggest they can. By adjusting the geometry of certain synthetic materials without changing their composition, the team was able to increase their toughness by a factor of 2.6. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a significant leap forward for mechanical metamaterials, which are known for their unique properties but often suffer from fragility issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Toughness is a limiting factor in not all, but many 3D-printed mechanical metamaterials,&#8221; senior author Kevin Turner, a professor and John Henry Towne Department Chair of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics (MEAM) at Penn Engineering, said in a <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.seas.upenn.edu\/breaking-the-pattern-how-disorder-toughens-materials\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">news release<\/a>. &#8220;Without changing the material at all, just simply by altering the internal geometry, you can increase the toughness by 2.6 times.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-advanced-heading uagb-block-3f3e4cca\"><h2 class=\"uagb-heading-text\">The Balance of Disorder<\/h2><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The research focused on experimenting with various levels of disorder within a material&#8217;s structure. They tested thousands of patterns using computational mechanics simulations, all based on triangular lattices called trusses. Some patterns maintained perfect symmetry, while others introduced varying degrees of irregularity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:22px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"620\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Breaking-the-Pattern.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-18532\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Breaking-the-Pattern.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Breaking-the-Pattern-300x266.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><em>Caption: <\/em>In contrast to the more structured design (top), the more disordered one (bottom) cracked less easily, as evidenced by the dispersion of the red dots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><em>Credit:<\/em> Sage Fulco<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:7px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Lead author Sage Fulco, a postdoctoral researcher in MEAM, noted that the most effective designs were those that balanced order and chaos. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;The samples that performed the best, in which it was most difficult for a crack to grow, did not consist of regular repeating patterns,&#8221; Fulco said in the news release. &#8220;They had different geometry in different areas.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Visualizing Success<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To understand the mechanics behind their success, the team collaborated with Doug Durian, the Mary Amanda Wood Professor in Physics and Astronomy at Penn Arts &amp; Sciences, and Hongyi Xiao, then a postdoctoral fellow in Durian\u2019s lab. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They devised experiments to visualize how cracks propagated through the materials. Through birefringence \u2014 a property that splits light into different paths \u2014 they could see that cracks in disordered materials did not travel in straight lines. Instead, damage was dispersed over a larger area, preventing catastrophic failure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;For the crack to grow through a disordered material, damage has to occur over a much larger area,&#8221; Fulco added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Broad Implications<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The study&#8217;s implications are far-reaching. By identifying a geometric method to enhance toughness, this research could enable the application of mechanical metamaterials in critical fields such as aerospace, where materials must resist crack growth and sustain damage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As Fulco pointed out, &#8220;[T]his work is very fundamental. Other groups can apply it to many different geometries.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Turner expressed similar enthusiasm about the future, adding: &#8220;We&#8217;re enabling broader use of mechanical metamaterials in structural applications by identifying a geometric route to increase toughness.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ultimately, the team hopes their findings will inspire a deeper exploration of disordered patterns in mechanical design, fostering innovation that could transform multiple industries. The discovery underscores a fundamental truth observed in nature: sometimes, disorder and complexity can lead to remarkable strength.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a new study, researchers from Penn Engineering, Penn Arts &amp; Sciences and Aarhus University have uncovered that introducing a controlled amount of disorder into the internal structures of materials can make them significantly tougher. This finding, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Nexus, could pave the way for the broader [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"single-no-separators","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18525","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-tech"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"The University Network","author_link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/author\/funky_junkie\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"In a new study, researchers from Penn Engineering, Penn Arts &amp; Sciences and Aarhus University have uncovered that introducing a controlled amount of disorder into the internal structures of materials can make them significantly tougher. This finding, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Nexus, could pave the way for the broader&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18525","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18525"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18525\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18535,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18525\/revisions\/18535"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18525"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18525"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18525"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}