Photo Credit: MIT
Researchers from MIT are studying the effects of heat on metamaterials. These materials actually shrink when exposed to heat.
In experiments, the researchers manufactured star-shaped structures in a 3D printing technique called microstereolithography. The structures were composed of two materials — a solid copper-based element and a more pliable polymer material. Exposure to gradually rising temperatures caused the structures to shrink slightly.
The structures only shrank about about 0.6 percent, but the most surprising thing is that they didn’t expand.
These findings could prove useful for materials that need to be impervious to extreme temperature changes. Computer chips, for example, need to maintain their shape even when exposed to heat from the core processor.
Photo Credit: MIT
Filed Under: Materials • advanced
