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When Peter Williams took a 2.002 (Mechanics and Materials II) this past semester, he won a trophy whose height is roughly equal to the width of three human hairs. Rather than feeling short changed on his small prize, the mechanical engineering senior considered it a fitting prize for a competition that asked him and his classmates to design nanoscale materials capable of withstanding compression.
The design challenge represents a fresh new section of the undergraduate class on the mechanical properties of materials. While 2.002 traditionally involves classical laboratory experiments, Professor Carlos Portela wanted to give students research experience at the exciting frontier of his field.
“The objective was not only to expose students to the leading-edge concepts of nanotechnology, nanomechanics and metamaterials, but specifically for them to be in the ‘driver’s seat’ of this experience,” says Portella, who is the D’Arbeloff Career Development Huh. Assistant Professor in MIT’s Department of Mechanical Engineering. “We were convinced that a design challenge – where students would invent new 3D designs of metamaterials, observe and participate in the fabrication and characterization processes, and have a friendly competition against their peers – would achieve just that.”
The design challenge brought the students into a laboratory in the world-class MIT.nano facility, an environment so delicate that everyone entering must first cover themselves from head to toe to inhale even the smallest dust particles. Try to keep out. Their mission was straightforward: to design the most compression-resistant microcube possible with a material that would touch each side of the cube but fill only 20 percent of the total volume. The materials were made using a 3D printer that shines a laser at the resin to create precise, high-resolution structures.
“We were able to architect microscale metamaterials [materials designed to have certain mechanical behaviors] And really come up with some interesting designs and conclusions,” Williams says, adding that he “appreciated the experience of working on questions that real scientists are currently asking.”
For her winning entry, Williams relied on a design principle she learned before taking the 2.002. Calling it “the obvious way to win,” they arranged their nanomaterials into a two-dimensional profile that looks like vertical walls.
“If you have any kind of truss structure, it’s not going to be as good as if it’s supported by material directly under it. You can’t put the same material diagonally and expect it to be just as strong, Williams says. “I’m pretty good at CAD, and it’s a very simple design. More complex did not work.
Senior Allison King designed his material using hexagons, which are known to withstand compression really well. King’s material came in second place, and although she’s a little disappointed that she didn’t walk away with the nearly invisible trophy, she expresses great excitement for participating in the competition and experiencing the MIT.nano lab.
“You walked into the lab, and it made you realize in that moment that, wow, MIT is a great place,” King says. “People are literally pushing the limits of engineering right in front of you and now.”
King says she was “on the edge of my seat” as her contents, visible with an electron microscope, were shown on a monitor during compression.
“I love the design side of mechanical engineering and love testing hypotheses,” she says. “So, being given complete freedom — like, ‘Hey, design whatever you want and see if it works,’ — really put to use the skills and training that We’re learning to see if we can actually build a product.”
While the design challenge was fun and exciting for the students, the process they were participating in has a deeper impact, Portella says. Nanomaterials can be made to have “exotic” mechanical, thermal and even electronic properties, he says. Ceramics can be made like rubber, metals can be made strong, and glass can be made extremely durable. Nanostructures can also be made to interact with light, sound or electrons.
“Nanoarchitected materials have the potential to address unresolved societal and engineering challenges, because they achieve combinations of properties that no existing material could ever achieve. The ability to produce them could have an impact on a variety of sectors. “Enableing these properties beyond the nano- or microscale would be game-changing,” he says. “We have a lot of work to do to get to that point.”
For Williams, the 2.002 and the design challenge could be personally life-changing. While he currently plans to work in industry after graduation, the experience has him considering a return to academia.
“As an undergraduate taking 2.002, I was able to do a lot of graduate-level research and access very high-end facilities,” he says. “It excites me to potentially go back into research.”
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