Accelerating Optimization Design of Bio-inspired Interlocking Structures with Machine Learning

Structural connections between components are often weak areas in engineering applications.In nature,many biological materials with remarkablemechanical performance possess flexible and creative sutures.In this work,we propose a novel bioinspired interlocking tab considering both the geometry of the tab head and neck,and demonstrate a new approach to optimize the bio-inspired interlocking structures based on machine learning.Artificial neural networks for different optimization objectives are developed and trained using a database of thousands of interlocking structures generated through finite element analysis.Results show that the proposed method is able to achieve accurate prediction of the mechanical response of any given interlocking tab.The optimized designs with different optimization objectives,such as strength,stiffness,and toughness,are obtained efficiently and precisely.The optimum design predicted by machine learning is approximately 7.98 times stronger and 2.98 times tougher than the best design in the training set,which are validated through additive manufacturing and experimental testing.The machine learning-based optimization approach developed here can aid in the exploration of the intricate mechanism behind biological materials and the discovery of new material designs boasting orders of magnitude increase in computational efficacy over conventional methods.

Interlocked MXene/rGO aerogel with excellent mechanical stability for a health-monitoring device

Two-dimensional(2D)materials have attracted considerable interest thanks to their unique electronic/physical-chemical characteristics and their potential for use in a large variety of sensing applications.However,few-layered nanosheets tend to agglomerate owing to van der Waals forces,which obstruct internal nanoscale transport channels,resulting in low electrochemical activity and restricting their use for sensing purposes.Here,a hybrid MXene/rGO aerogel with a three-dimensional(3D)interlocked network was fabricated via a freeze-drying method.The porous MXene/rGO aerogel has a lightweight and hierarchical porous architecture,which can be compressed and expanded several times without breaking.Additionally,a flexible pressure sensor that uses the aerogel as the sensitive layer has a wide response range of approximately 0-40 kPa and a considerable response within this range,averaging approximately 61.49 kPa^(-1).The excellent sensing performance endows it with a broad range of applications,including human-computer interfaces and human health monitoring.

Oriented magnetic liquid metal-filled interlocked bilayer films as multifunctional smart electromagnetic devices

Smart electromagnetic functional devices prepared based on electromagnetic wave responsive materials will provide more convenience for human life in the future.Here,we prepare oriented magnetic liquid metal droplet-filled polydimethylsiloxane films with micropillar array patterned surfaces,and further assemble them into bilayer films with interlocked structures.Once compressed,the increase in conductivity of the film due to the tunneling effect between microarrays and the elongation of liquid metal droplets leads to a rapid increase in electromagnetic interference shielding performance.Accordingly,a tunable electromagnetic interference shielding material with high sensitivity and wide control range is obtained,which has potential applications in electromagnetic wave control systems and intelligent electromagnetic protection systems.Meanwhile,we assemble a strain sensor and a magnetic sensor,which can precisely sense pressure and magnetic field according to changes in electromagnetic signal and electrical signal,respectively.

An interlocked coordination cage based on aromatic amide ligands

An interlocked M_(4) L_(8) coordination cage was synthesized by coordination-driven self-assembly of palladium(Ⅱ)ions with aromatic amide bidentate ligands.The reaction of the ligand and the metal at 2:1 ratio led to the monomeric M_(2) L_(4) cage as the kinetic product,while the thermodynamic product M_(4) L_(8) cage was obtained by prolongating the reaction.This conve rsion and the interlocked structure was clearly revealed by using~1 H NMR,mass spectrometry and X-ray crystallography.The driving force of interlocking was mainly attributed to the interactions(hydrogen bonding,aromatic stacking and electrostatic interaction)arising from the aptitude of flexibility of the amide ligand.