4D printing modular twisting metamaterials with reprogrammable functionality and reconfigurable deformation

Abstract

Developing torsional mechanical metamaterials capable of delivering reconfigurable and adaptive responses through compression-torsion coupling remains a significant challenge. Here, we present a bioinspired multifunctional twisting mechanical metamaterial (MTMM) featuring a modular chiral architecture composed exclusively of plates and chiral rods, enabling plug-and-play assembly and repeatedly reprogrammable switching among three discrete chiral states. The programmable chiral heterogeneity enables MTMM arrays to exhibit cooperative deformation, thereby supporting diverse programmable functionalities, including a tailorable Poisson’s ratio, controlled shape morphing, and mechanical signal encoding and transmission. Moreover, replacing the chiral rods with counterparts containing different inner-aperture sizes enables systematic reconfiguration of the global load–displacement response, including its stiffness level, deformation sequence. This provides a versatile strategy for tailoring the mechanical response to different energy-absorption and vibration-isolation requirements. An MTMM system connected in series further demonstrates high reliability, ease of maintenance, and reusability, highlighting its potential for impact-protection applications such as lander buffering. Overall, the MTMM establishes a scalable design paradigm for multifunctional twisting metamaterials and significantly expands the design space for programmable mechanical properties and functional integration.