Multiscale Engineering and Optimization of Mechanical Metamaterials for Structural Applications

Metamaterials are a broad and growing class of materials where their topology, surface properties, or local geometry drive the properties of the material. These principles allow traditional material property strength-ductility-weight trade-offs to be overcome, as well as the realization of enhanced mechanical properties and damage tolerance. Manuscripts in this collection focus on the structural optimization and design theory behind this property enhancement, models or methods to generate novel topologies, or innovative strategies to tailor the geometry of the material locally to enhance wear, impact, and/or thermomechanical properties. Topology generation/optimization methods, device development and implementation of structural metamaterials at scale, and optimization/development of manufacturing technologies for more reliable and reproducible production of metamaterials will be considered as part of this collection.

Three subsections will be included in this collection: Metamaterials for Enhanced Mechanical Properties, Advanced Manufacturing and Processing for Structural Metamaterials, and Computational Design and Theory of Structural Metamaterials.

Nature Communications, Communications Materials, Communications Engineering and Scientific Reports are now inviting research Articles on the topic of metamaterials design, microstructural and topological development, and optimization across scale. This Collection will highlight Articles that involve new tools, methods, and emerging strategies for advancing the properties of materials through topology and structural design rather than through thermophysical processing or chemical alloying means.