2023-2027
Additively manufactured polymer metamaterials
Polymeric materials account for nearly 80% of all additively manufactured components used in industry and research prototyping today. This dominance extends to mechanical metamaterials and phononics, where polymers are the material of choice due to their versatility and ease of fabrication. Despite their widespread use, the practical deployment of these advanced materials is often limited by an incomplete understanding of the relationship between material properties, structural design, and manufacturing aspects. In particular, the performance of additively manufactured components can be sensitive to process-induced defects and variations.
This project addresses these challenges by investigating the behavior of additively manufactured polymers and the elastic (phononic) metamaterials built from them, providing key insights into the material–structure relationships that govern their performance.
Characterization of additively manufactured (phononic) structures
Additively manufactured polymers have been widely used for producing elastic metamaterials and phononic structures. The viscoelastic behavior of these polymers at ultrasonic frequencies remains, however, poorly studied.
We have developed a protocol to estimate the viscoelastic properties of 3D-printed polymers and shown how to apply it to analyze the dynamic response of metamaterials: Beniwal, S., Bose, R.K., Krushynska, A.O. (2024). Characterizing dissipative elastic metamaterials produced by additive manufacturing. Journal of Visualized Experiments, e66898 (link).
Interested in visual content? Watch the movie.
We have also prepared a series of YouTube tutorials on this topic
1. Tutorial 1. FDM 3D printing of a part using COMSOL Multiphysics and Cura Ultimaker
2. Tutorial 2. SLA 3D printing of a part using COMSOL Multiphysics and a PreForm slicer
3. Tutorial 3. Using MSLattice to create a model of a Triply Periodic Minimal Surface (TMPS)
4. Tutorial 4. Bone-shaped sample for tensile tests using COMSOL Multiphysics
5. Tutorial 5. How to use SBench6 to generate a linear frequency sweep signal
Viscoelasticity-driven response in additively manufactured phononics
Accurate prediction and reproducibility of material behavior rely on proper material characterization. Oversimplified constitutive models or incomplete characterization can significantly reduce the reliability of numerical simulations and experimental observations. In this project, we demonstrate that experimentally measured viscoelastic properties are the primary factor enabling accurate numerical prediction of wave propagation in polymer-based phononic materials, often having a greater impact than manufacturing-induced defects. Using simple disc–ligament phononic crystals as a model system, we investigate the sensitivity of phononic band gaps to systematic variations in unit-cell geometry and material distribution, including the controlled introduction of porosity. More details in Beniwal, S., Bose, R., Krushynska, A. (2026). Predictive Wave Engineering in Polymer Phononic Materials via Viscoelastic-Geometric Coupling, Materials Horizons (link).
News coverage: EurekAlert!, EngineersOnline.nl, TechXplore, Mirage, FSE News
Sidharth Beniwal
I am passionate about developing phononic crystals and acoustic metamaterials, additive manufacturing, and polymer characterization.
-- Ph.D. student at the University of Groningen, The Netherlands
Our team
Ranjita Bose
My work focuses on studying the mechanism of self-healing and interfacial adhesion of polymers with supramolecular interactions.
-- Adjunct Professor at the University of Groningen, The Netherlands
Anastasiia Krushynska
Phononic crystals is my favorite research field and key research expertise. In this project, I apply my knowledge in modelling wave dynamics.
-- Adjunct Professor at the University of Groningen, The Netherlands
