Last September, we wrote about the Hasso-Plattner-Institute in Germany and their R&D on metamaterials, hacking the internal structures of materials to create simple, non-powered machines. By experimenting with various microstructural designs, researchers were able to 3D print simple machines that can deform to create some form of actuation, allowing the 3D printing of switches, latches, door handles, and the like.
Now, in another exciting development in metamaterials, a team at MIT has taken flakes of graphene (the current reigning champ of strongest materials) and heat-fused them in a 3D printed mesh-like structure to create a new kind of material that is 10 times stronger than steel at only 5% of steel’s density. Looks like graphene might have to surrender its championship belt soon.