Fabrizio Scarpa

Biobased and porous multifunctional mechanical metamaterials

In this seminar, we examine biobased mechanical metamaterials whose deformation behavior is environmentally responsive, governed by external stimuli such as relative humidity, temperature, hydrocarbon vapors, and liquid exposure, as well as internal residual strain distributions. These stimuli trigger microscale deformation mechanisms that induce global changes in curvature, stiffness modulation, and emergent shape memory effects.
Key examples include hygromorphic and poligromorphic composites, which exploit moisture-induced deformation for programmable shape change; 3D/4D-printed shape-morphing structures, enabling time-dependent or stimulus-driven geometric transformations; auxetic and biobased open-cell foams, characterized by negative Poisson’s ratios and tailored energy absorption; reinforced hydrogels, combining soft matrices with fillers for enhanced mechanical adaptability and energy dissipation.
These systems represent a new paradigm in adaptive materials, bridging microscale material science with macroscale functional performance for applications in soft robotics, sustainable engineering, and responsive architectures.