Enabling three-dimensional architected materials across length scales and timescales

Abstract

Architected materials provide a pathway to defy the limitations of monolithic materials through their engineered microstructures or geometries, allowing them to exhibit unique and extreme properties. Thus far, most studies on architected materials have been limited to fabricating periodic structures in small tessellations and investigating them under mostly quasi-static conditions, but explorations of more complex architecture designs and their properties across length scales and timescales will be essential to fully uncover the potential of this materials system. In this Perspective, we summarize state-of-the-art approaches to realizing multiscale architected materials and highlight existing knowledge gaps and opportunities in their design, fabrication and characterization. We also propose a roadmap to accelerate the discovery of architected materials with programmable properties via the synergistic combination of experimental and computational efforts. Finally, we identify research opportunities and open questions in the development of next-generation architected materials, intelligent devices and integrated systems that can bridge the gap between the conception and implementation of these materials in real-world engineering applications. Architected materials provide a pathway to achieve properties beyond those of monolithic materials. This Perspective discusses complex architecture designs and their fabrication, characterization and functions across length scales and timescales.