Multistable Lattices

What’s this about?

Materials with multiple stable states exhibit intriguing dynamic behaviors such as phase transitions, dislocation propagation, and transition waves. While these effects have been well-studied in ferroelectrics, ferromagnets, and shape memory alloys, recent advancements in mechanical metamaterials have enabled the development of macroscopic multistable systems with unprecedented tunability. By precisely engineering energy landscapes, we can achieve controlled phase transitions, enabling the design of adaptive, deployable, and load-bearing structures with tailored mechanical properties.

Why does it matter?

Multistable lattices provide exceptional tunability, making them ideal for reconfigurable systems that dynamically respond to external stimuli. This capability is critical for several applications:

• Soft robotics, enabling flexible, shape-changing actuators with programmable motion.
• Energy absorption, by developing impact-resistant materials that efficiently dissipate energy.
• Deployable and load-bearing structures, creating mechanically robust yet adaptable architectures for aerospace applications.

By advancing our understanding of multistable lattices, we aim to develop next-generation adaptive materials that dynamically adjust to their environment while maintaining structural integrity.

What we’re working on right now

Our research focuses on tunable multistable metamaterials with controllable phase transitions. Current projects include:

• Transition waves in multistable lattices, where we investigate the dynamics of phase transitions across different lattice types.
• Magnetically responsive multistable lattices, which involves designing and testing magnetoelastic and magnetorheological elastomer (MRE) structures that enable externally tunable multistability (in collaboration with Prof. Vivekanand Dabade, IISc).
• Origami-based load-bearing multistable lattices, where we explore foldable architectures that combine multistability with high mechanical strength for deployable applications.

Want to join us?

We are looking for a motivated graduate student to engage in this cutting-edge research. Here, you’ll gain skills in:

• Computational and theoretical modeling, studying multistable dynamics and phase transitions in engineered lattices.
• Experimental techniques, fabricating and testing magnetoelastic, MRE-based, and origami-inspired structures.
• Applied mechanics and wave physics, understanding the interaction between stability landscapes, structural loads, and external fields.

If you’re interested in designing reconfigurable, adaptive, and load-bearing structures for robotics, energy absorption, and deployable applications, let’s discuss how you can contribute!

Recent Publications

• Remote Nucleation and Stationary Domain Walls via Transition Waves in Tristable Magnetoelastic Lattices,
  Physical Review Materials 9, 014405, 2025.