Novel structural design method inspired by DNA and origami

Abstract In chiral metamaterials, the twist per axial strain (TPAS) is an important index to evaluate the tension-torsion coupling effect. Most chiral structures reported in current literatures have the appearance of lattice architectures, which possess limited TPAS. Inspired by DNA and origami structures, the proposed DNA-like chiral structure can generate a twist with the folding behavior of each unit. Theoretically, the value of TPAS of the proposed structure can achieve + ∞ , which provides a good basis to design metamaterials for target tension-torsion coupling properties. Also, we can design lattice structures based on the proposed DNA-origami concept. With the advanced additive manufacturing techniques, the proposed DNA-like structures can be used to fabricate shape memory morphing structures, smart propellers, artificial muscles, and biomechanical devices for applications in various fields of engineering.