Negative and positive stiffness in auxetic magneto-mechanical metamaterials

Abstract

This work discusses the concept of allowing the control of the stiffness of a particular class of re-entrant auxetic magneto-mechanical metamaterials through the introduction of magnets to the system. It is shown, through experimental testing backed up by a theoretical model, that the appropriate insertion of magnets in such a system will alter its stiffness, possibly even making it exhibit ‘negative stiffness’. This leads to a completely different behaviour of the structure in terms of stability. It is also reported that the investigated mechanical metamaterials may exhibit both negative stiffness and negative Poisson's ratio at the same time. Moreover, it is shown that the effect which magnets have on the stiffness of the system may be fine-tuned upon replacing magnets with electromagnets. Such systems have the potential to be used in a wide range of practical applications such as vibration damping devices where achieving a negative stiffness is of fundamental importance.