Morphing Structures
Structures capable of large controlled shape changes.
Bio-inspired re-entrant honeycomb metamaterial with programmable dual-plateau mechanical response
A bio-inspired re-entrant honeycomb mechanical metamaterial is described as having a programmable dual-plateau mechanical response.
Shape optimization of 4D-printed multi-material morphing structures for enhanced structural stability
This study presents a shape optimization framework for enhancing the stiffness of 4D-printed multi-material morphing structures.
Recent progress in 4D printing: materials, methods and applications
This review synthesizes how 4D printing couples additive methods with stimulus-responsive materials—especially shape-memory polymers—to achieve programmed, time-dependent shape and property changes, while noting reliability and scalability
Dimple-Encoded Reprogrammable Origami
This research presents a dimple-encoded origami platform that allows for reprogrammable shape-morphing and adaptive mechanical systems.
Multimaterial 4D printing of adaptive and reconfigurable auxetic metastructures
Multimaterial 4D printing with PLA/PCL enables auxetic metastructures whose geometry–material coupling yields tunable mechanics, energy absorption, and thermally induced reconfigurability.
Additively manufactured Shape Memory Alloy Hybrid Composites with a polymer matrix featuring a re-entrant honeycomb structure
A fully additive SLA+TFP route fabricates SMA hybrid composites with a re-entrant honeycomb polymer structure, enabling geometry-tuned, thermally activated out-of-plane bending with improved reproducibility via automated SMA placement.
Thermomechanical Modelling and Shape Prediction in 4D Printing Using FEA
A thermomechanical FEA approach is used to simulate and plan shape morphing in 4D-printed two-layer and more complex structures.
Reprogrammable metamaterial robot with embodied versatile computation and mechanical intelligence
A reprogrammable metamaterial robot is presented as combining versatile computation with mechanical intelligence.
Real-time reprogrammable snapping mechanical metamaterial with nonlinear force-displacement responses
A real-time reprogrammable snapping mechanical metamaterial is reported to exhibit nonlinear force–displacement responses.
Single-material 4D-printed shape-morphing structures via spatially patterned strain trapping
A single-step, single-material 4D printing approach uses spatially patterned strain trapping to program one-way, spatially controlled shape morphing without secondary post-programming.
A auxetic metamaterial structure: analysis of shear and bending, mechanical characterization
Auxetic (negative Poisson’s ratio) re-entrant unit-cell designs integrated into bone screws improved load-bearing capacity and deformation resistance under shear and bending versus conventional screws.
Sublinear-Time Reconfiguration of Programmable Matter with Joint Movements
The paper shows sublinear-time centralized reconfiguration of geometric amoebot programmable matter using joint parallel movements, including universal reconfiguration to a line segment in O(√n log n) rounds.
Shape-morphing greenhouse: design of a thermally responsive transparent 4D-printed structure
A proof-of-concept transparent 4D-printed PLA greenhouse structure was tested for thermally driven shape-morphing ventilation using bio-inspired mechanisms, showing concept potential but material and structural limits.
4D printed hydromorph biocomposites with shape change and force generation properties: progress towards structural actuation
4D-printed flax/PLA hydromorph biocomposites can be tuned to deliver water-driven shape change with blocked force and energy density comparable to wood, supporting structural actuation design.
Programmable Telescopic Soft Pneumatic Actuators for Deployable and Shape Morphing Soft Robots
Programmable Telescopic Soft Pneumatic Actuators (PTSPAs) use a parameterized geometry generator and systematic parameter exploration to enable deployable, shape-morphing soft robot locomotion in confined spaces.
4D printing for crack trapping and adaptive damage-tolerant structures
A review synthesizes how 4D printing can enable crack trapping and damage-tolerant behavior through smart, metamaterial-based self-sensing and time-dependent shape change.
A postbuckling-based metamaterial for switching the propagation of surface acoustic waves
A postbuckling-based elastic-beam metamaterial can switch surface acoustic wave propagation by toggling between a bandgap (OFF) and bandgap elimination via buckling (ON), using only mechanical effects.
Rotary 4D Printing of Programmable Metamaterials on Sustainable 4D Mandrel
A rotary 4D printing workflow fabricates modular, multi-material programmable mechanical metamaterials on a shape-morphing mandrel, enabling programmable stiffness and multi-DOF shape recovery.
Quasi-static shape control of soft, morphing structures
A general quasi-static shape-control framework for soft morphing structures is developed, analyzing how large deformations and compliance affect equilibrium topology and stability, illustrated with a snap-through-prone Kirchhoff rod.
2D-to-3D transformation of ring origami via snap-folding instabilities
By adding out-of-plane natural curvature to ring-origami rods, 2D rings can spontaneously snap into designed 3D equilibrium shapes with controllable mono- or multistability.
Physics-Informed Neural Networks for Programmable Origami Metamaterials with Controlled Deployment
A data-free physics-informed neural network enables inverse design of conical Kresling origami metamaterials with programmable multistable energy barriers and controlled, sequential deployment validated on prototypes.
Numerical Study on Shape Recovery Behaviors of Shape Memory Polymer Composite Hinges Considering Hysteresis Effect
A hysteresis-inclusive constitutive model for SMPC hinges enables finite element prediction of recovered configurations and identifies design factors to improve shape recovery ratio.
Mechanical analysis of composite leaf springs made by 4D printing method
4DPC composite leaf springs curl from a flat layup into a curved beam, and residual stresses at the 90° layer surface reduce tensile loading enough to improve fatigue resistance.
4D Printing with Liquid Crystal Elastomers: Materials, Methods, and Emerging Applications
A review summarizes how 4D printing of liquid crystal elastomers enables programmable, reversible shape changes and surveys fabrication methods, integrations, and remaining challenges.