Multi-physics modeling on soft and smart materials for applications and development of soft material-based devices and metamaterials

软质和智能材料的多物理场建模，用于基于软质材料的设备和超材料的应用和开发

• 批准号: RGPIN-2022-03703
• 负责人: Jiang, Liying
• 金额: $ 2.33万
• 依托单位: University of Western Ontario
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=759852
• 关键词: Multi; physics; modeling; soft; smart

It is well known that systems in engineering mostly use hard materials, while life and biological systems are usually composed of soft and active substances. This conspicuous contrast has prompted a nascent field of soft material engineering systems in the research community. One of the future challenges facing the human society will emerge on the interface between engineering and biological systems. To overcome this future challenge, it is essential to study soft materials with extraordinary functions since they have the potential to seamlessly connect engineering and biological systems. As typical soft and smart materials, dielectric elastomers (DEs) and hydrogels have received growing interest in a variety of engineering fields due to their unique properties, particularly large deformation capability under external stimuli. These materials have potential applications as soft material-based devices including artificial muscles, soft robots, biomedical devices, soft machines, haptic interfaces and etc. Better exploitation of these novel materials requires increased understanding on the fundamentals governing their delicate multi-physics coupling mechanisms. Therefore, the objective of this research program is to establish a rigorous modeling and simulation framework to predict the performance of systems based on soft and smart materials through elucidating the complex interplay among multi-physics coupling, material viscoelasticity, geometric nonlinearity, and various failure modes. The grand vision of this research is to develop multi-functional soft material-based devices and metamaterials with desirable properties that could be actively controlled by external stimuli. The theoretical modeling framework is based on continuum mechanics and the theories of thermodynamics. The performance of these soft material-based structures will be investigated through both theoretical modeling and numerical simulations. This innovative research program will take full advantage of the applicant's expertise in multi-physics modeling, continuum mechanics, composites, finite element modeling, as well as dynamic analysis of structures. The training through this program will equip HQP with extensive experiences and skills in the area of smart and soft materials, including modeling development and numerical simulation in characterizing material properties, as well as design methodology of new advanced materials. We are very optimistic that the outcomes from this program will nurture great opportunities to establish industrial collaborations and provide new job opportunities. The successful completion of this program will help to develop the next-generation soft material-based devices to be deployed across the economy in advanced materials and manufacturing, biomedical, transduction technology, and beyond. In addition, this frontier work will also enhance Canada's profile in the global academic community.

众所周知，工程系统大多使用硬材料，而生命和生物系统通常由柔软的活性物质组成。这种明显的对比在研究界催生了一个新兴的软材料工程系统领域。未来人类社会面临的挑战之一将出现在工程和生物系统之间的接口上。为了克服这一未来的挑战，研究具有非凡功能的软材料至关重要，因为它们具有无缝连接工程和生物系统的潜力。作为典型的柔性智能材料，介质弹性体（DEs）和水凝胶由于其独特的性能，特别是在外界刺激下的大变形能力，在各种工程领域受到越来越多的关注。这些材料在基于软材料的设备上有潜在的应用，包括人造肌肉、软机器人、生物医学设备、软机器、触觉界面等。要更好地利用这些新材料，需要对控制其微妙的多物理场耦合机制的基本原理有更多的了解。因此，本研究计划的目标是通过阐明多物理场耦合、材料粘弹性、几何非线性和各种失效模式之间的复杂相互作用，建立严格的建模和仿真框架，以预测基于软材料和智能材料的系统的性能。本研究的宏伟愿景是开发多功能软材料设备和具有理想性能的超材料，这些设备和超材料可以由外部刺激主动控制。理论建模框架基于连续介质力学和热力学理论。这些软材料结构的性能将通过理论建模和数值模拟进行研究。这个创新的研究项目将充分利用申请人在多物理场建模、连续介质力学、复合材料、有限元建模以及结构动力分析方面的专业知识。通过该计划的培训将使HQP在智能和软材料领域拥有丰富的经验和技能，包括建模开发和表征材料特性的数值模拟，以及新型先进材料的设计方法。我们非常乐观地认为，该项目的成果将为建立工业合作和提供新的就业机会提供巨大的机会。该项目的成功完成将有助于开发下一代基于软材料的设备，这些设备将部署在先进材料和制造、生物医学、转导技术等领域。此外，这项前沿工作也将提升加拿大在全球学术界的形象。