Analysis of the Deformation Behavior and Mechanical Properties of Slit-Perforated Auxetic Metamaterials

Perforated systems constitute one of the most important classes of mechanical metamaterials. In this work, two types of “I”-shaped slit perforation patterns are proposed which may be used to design perforated systems that mimic the deformation mechanisms of a variety of re-entrant and anti-tetrachiral honeycomb systems. Using finite element analysis, it is shown how these systems have the potential to exhibit a large spectrum of negative Poisson's ratios, ranging from extremely negative to zero, which are retained over a wide tensile strain range. A detailed analysis of the deformation behavior of these systems is also presented along with a comparison of the changes in overall expansion and Poisson's ratios of both systems observed upon loading with those predicted by previously formulated theoretical models of re-entrant and anti-tetrachiral systems. It is hoped that this work will be of considerable aid in the efforts of scientists to understand the underlying principles governing the production of auxetic mechanical metamaterials through the use of perforations and also stimulate further research on how these and similar mechanisms may be implemented in perforated systems to design other metamaterials with anomalous mechanical properties.