Your new "metamaterial" could make air transport more energy efficient.
If you have a window near the wing of an airplane, you probably saw fins flying and unhooking when a plane took off and landed. In fact, in each phase of the flight (takeoff, landing, cruise and maneuver), the ideal parameters for wings vary. So far, we have been content to modify the rigid wings with articulated surfaces. But imagine if the entire wing could change shape: this is what NASA and the researchers led by MIT are working on.
In an article published in the magazine Smart Materials and Structures, the research team explains how radically redesigned the wing of the plane. Its new structure consists of a lightweight lattice frame consisting of thousands of tiny, repetitive triangles in the form of pairing covered with a thin layer of polymer. Because this "metamaterial" is composed mainly of empty spaces, it is extremely light: less than one thousandth of the density of rubber. In addition, carefully positioned supports allow the wing to automatically change shape in response to changes in downforce conditions. Both factors could make airplanes more energy efficient.
This is not a completely new concept. It was introduced a few years ago, but researchers have now found a way to manufacture the individual pieces of the candle using injection molding. They reduced the time required to produce each piece (a hollow cube with small spacers along each edge) from several minutes to only 17 seconds. The one meter long model they created was assembled by hand, but the process was designed to be repetitive. Thus, in the future, small autonomous robots can mount the wings.
The possibility of a light wing and a changing shape raises questions about the ideal shape of the plane. With this technology, we could separate from the "winged tube" design and use a more efficient configuration, possibly an integrated body and wing structure. If the idea of seeing an airplane wing changing shape while sailing at a height of 30,000 feet alerts you, do not worry yet. It is far from being ready for a commercial airline. Meanwhile, it is also possible to rethink other structures, such as wing-shaped blades of wind turbines.
If you have a window near the wing of an airplane, you probably saw fins flying and unhooking when a plane took off and landed. In fact, in each phase of the flight (takeoff, landing, cruise and maneuver), the ideal parameters for wings vary. So far, we have been content to modify the rigid wings with articulated surfaces. But imagine if the entire wing could change shape: this is what NASA and the researchers led by MIT are working on.
In an article published in the magazine Smart Materials and Structures, the research team explains how radically redesigned the wing of the plane. Its new structure consists of a lightweight lattice frame consisting of thousands of tiny, repetitive triangles in the form of pairing covered with a thin layer of polymer. Because this "metamaterial" is composed mainly of empty spaces, it is extremely light: less than one thousandth of the density of rubber. In addition, carefully positioned supports allow the wing to automatically change shape in response to changes in downforce conditions. Both factors could make airplanes more energy efficient.
This is not a completely new concept. It was introduced a few years ago, but researchers have now found a way to manufacture the individual pieces of the candle using injection molding. They reduced the time required to produce each piece (a hollow cube with small spacers along each edge) from several minutes to only 17 seconds. The one meter long model they created was assembled by hand, but the process was designed to be repetitive. Thus, in the future, small autonomous robots can mount the wings.
The possibility of a light wing and a changing shape raises questions about the ideal shape of the plane. With this technology, we could separate from the "winged tube" design and use a more efficient configuration, possibly an integrated body and wing structure. If the idea of seeing an airplane wing changing shape while sailing at a height of 30,000 feet alerts you, do not worry yet. It is far from being ready for a commercial airline. Meanwhile, it is also possible to rethink other structures, such as wing-shaped blades of wind turbines.
Joyce Walters
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