Admission Requirements
None.
Description
Metamaterials derive their unique properties not from their composition, but from their geometry. For instance, even a simple block of rubber can become a metamaterial capable of counting how often it’s compressed, purely through structured design as you can see in this video.
Recent breakthroughs have uncovered a vast diversity of metamaterials, spanning from patterned flexible solids to designs based on origami and kirigami. Because the possibilities of geometry are virtually limitless, so too is the range of mechanical metamaterials. See Playlist Masters Course Mechanical Metamaterials Martin van Hecke
This course introduces the physics underlying mechanical metamaterials, focusing on the crucial roles of geometry, symmetries, and mechanical instabilities. These are fundamental concepts in physics, essential for understanding not only metamaterials but also soft matter, biological systems, pattern formation, phase transitions, and complex flows.
Course Structure
Each lecture is centered around a recent metamaterial, based on a presentation by one of the students. Together, we the explore their physics through discussion, illustrative examples, and collaborative solving of toy problems. After each session, you'll receive a set of targeted exercises aimed at developing and sharpening your problem-solving skills.
The course concludes with a short final presentation, in which each student presents a metamaterial of their own design.
Topics Covered
Fundamentals of elasticity: stress, strain, and elastic constants
The elastic tensor: anisotropy, extremal materials, pentamode materials, and mechanical cloaking
Geometric nonlinearities and symmetry breaking: spontaneous and controlled
Instabilities: bending, buckling, snapping, and multistability
Maxwell counting, floppy modes, and states of self stress
Origami-based metamaterials and principles of foldability
Characteristic length scales in mechanical response
Shape-morphing materials and programmable geometries
Auxetic behavior; ordered vs. disordered systems; design principles for mechanical function
Course objectives
After the course, you are able to critically discuss the role of symmetry, nonlinearity and in determining the effective properties of (meta)materials.
Specifically, after this course, you are able to:
Critically discuss the role of geometry in metamaterials.
Solve problems related to geometry and elasticity.
Analyze (elastic) instabilities.
Analyze the degrees of freedom of complex hinged structures.
Perform scaling analysis for elastic constants.
Timetable
Physics Schedule
For detailed information go to Timetable in Brightspace
In MyTimetable, you can find all course and programme schedules, allowing you to create your personal timetable. Activities for which you have enrolled via MyStudyMap will automatically appear in your timetable.
Additionally, you can easily link MyTimetable to a calendar app on your phone, and schedule changes will be automatically updated in your calendar. You can also choose to receive email notifications about schedule changes. You can enable notifications in Settings after logging in.
Questions? Watch the video, read the instructions, or contact the ISSC helpdesk.
Note: Joint Degree students from Leiden/Delft need to combine information from both the Leiden and Delft MyTimetables to see a complete schedule. This video explains how to do it.
Mode of instruction
See Brightspace
Assessment method
The final grade will be determined as follows:
Homework exercises (every week) (70%)
Paper presentation (around 2, depending on number of students) (20%)
Final presentation(10%)
Reading list
Not applicable.
Registration
As a student, you are responsible for enrolling on time through MyStudyMap.
In this short video, you can see step-by-step how to enrol for courses in MyStudyMap.
Extensive information about the operation of MyStudyMap can be found here.
There are two enrolment periods per year:
Enrolment for the fall opens in July
Enrolment for the spring opens in December
See this page for more information about deadlines and enrolling for courses and exams.
Note:
It is mandatory to enrol for all activities of a course that you are going to follow.
Your enrolment is only complete when you submit your course planning in the ‘Ready for enrolment’ tab by clicking ‘Send’.
Not being enrolled for an exam/resit means that you are not allowed to participate in the exam/resit.
Contact
Lecturer: Prof.dr. M.L. van Hecke
Remarks
Software
Starting from the 2024/2025 academic year, the Faculty of Science will use the software distribution platform Academic Software. Through this platform, you can access the software needed for specific courses in your studies. For some software, your laptop must meet certain system requirements, which will be specified with the software. It is important to install the software before the start of the course. More information about the laptop requirements can be found on the student website.