Energy Absorption Characteristics of a Novel Reentrant-Chiral Honeycomb Structure

Abstract

Honeycomb structures are widely recognized for their superior mechanical properties. Honeycomb structures with a negative Poisson’s ratio (NPR) exhibit remarkable energy absorption (EA) and cushioning capabilities. However, they typically suffer from low specific strength, which limits their broader applications. Therefore, in this research, a novel reentrant-chiral honeycomb (RCH) structure using hybrid strategy was prepared that combined the benefits of reentrant and chiral geometries. Conventional reentrant honeycomb (CRH) structure was prepared to compare the ability of energy absorption with RCH. The specimens were fabricated with 3D printing technology and subjected to both finite element simulations and quasi-static compression tests. The finite element simulation results were in good agreement with the test results. The results demonstrated that the reentrant-chiral honeycomb structure exhibited significant EA capabilities and a pronounced NPR effect. It was found that RCH4 had better EA characteristics (specific energy absorption of 33.56 J/g; EA of 572.57J) in quasi-static loading among specimens. Thus, it could alleviate the issue of low specific strength. Furthermore, key structural parameters such as the cell wall thickness and circular node radius were analyzed to influence the EA characteristic of the RCH specimens. This research contributes to the understanding of hybrid strategy in the design of NPR structures and provides insights into optimizing EA characteristics for potential applications in protective equipment.

Keywords: Negative Poisson's ratio, Hybrid strategy, Finite element simulation, 3D printing technology, Quasi-static compression test