Lightweight, Strong, and Resilient 3D Graphene Metamaterial via a Multi‐flow Assembly

G Gangfeng Cai Z Ziqiu Wang (Department of Physics, Shanghai University of Electric Power 1 , Shanghai 200090,) W Wenhao Tong (Laboratory for Multiscale Mechanics and Medical Science State Key Laboratory for Strength and Vibration of Mechanical Structures School of Aerospace Xi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an P. R. China) H Huasong Qin (State Key Laboratory for Strength and Vibration of Mechanical Structures, School of Aerospace, Xi'an Jiaotong University 2 , Xi'an 710049,) P Peng Li Y Yicong Qin (MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization International Research Centre for X Polymers Department of Polymer Science and Engineering Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Advanced Organic Materials and Technologies Research Center for Advanced Fibers Zhejiang University Hangzhou P. R. China) K Kaiwen Li (State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, School of Life Sciences, Henan University) Z Zihao Deng (Department of Chemistry, and the Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction) S Songhan Shi (MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization International Research Centre for X Polymers Department of Polymer Science and Engineering Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Advanced Organic Materials and Technologies Research Center for Advanced Fibers Zhejiang University Hangzhou P. R. China) H Haodong Yang Y Yilun Liu (Laboratory for Multiscale Mechanics and Medical Science State Key Laboratory for Strength and Vibration of Mechanical Structures School of Aerospace Xi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an P. R. China) Z Zhen Xu Y Yingjun Liu C Chao Gao

Abstract

ABSTRACT Materials aim to integrate excellent properties, including high strength, stiffness, significant elastic deformation, specifically at low density. However, synthetic materials usually involve trade‐offs among these characteristics, resulting in distinct categories, such as hard and soft carbon materials, despite sharing identical elemental composition. Here, we demonstrate a lightweight graphene metamaterial fabricated via multi‐flow assembly that integrates the mechanical robustness of low‐density hard carbons with the elastic deformability of soft carbons. The representative graphene metamaterial features a cuttlebone‐inspired lamella‐wall architecture. This architecture reasonably strengthens and stiffens the graphene metamaterial, akin to the house‐of‐cards carbon layer arrangement in hard carbons. The intrinsic superelasticity under huge deformation (90%) is also retained in these graphene metamaterials. Our multi‐flow assembly method is facile to prepare varied metamaterials by directly manipulating the arranged texture of individual graphene sheets, paving the way for exploring the unique properties of metamaterials in the macroscopic world and their applications.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 38, Issue 36
Published June 01, 2026
ISSN 0935-9648
Publisher Unknown Publisher

Journal Info

Advanced Materials

Unknown Publisher

ISSN: 0935-9648 Physical Sciences

Authors (14)

G

Gangfeng Cai

Z

Ziqiu Wang

Department of Physics, Shanghai University of Electric Power 1 , Shanghai 200090,

W

Wenhao Tong

Laboratory for Multiscale Mechanics and Medical Science State Key Laboratory for Strength and Vibration of Mechanical Structures School of Aerospace Xi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an P. R. China

H

Huasong Qin

State Key Laboratory for Strength and Vibration of Mechanical Structures, School of Aerospace, Xi'an Jiaotong University 2 , Xi'an 710049,

P

Peng Li

Y

Yicong Qin

MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization International Research Centre for X Polymers Department of Polymer Science and Engineering Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Advanced Organic Materials and Technologies Research Center for Advanced Fibers Zhejiang University Hangzhou P. R. China

K

Kaiwen Li

State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, School of Life Sciences, Henan University

Z

Zihao Deng

Department of Chemistry, and the Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction

S

Songhan Shi

MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization International Research Centre for X Polymers Department of Polymer Science and Engineering Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Advanced Organic Materials and Technologies Research Center for Advanced Fibers Zhejiang University Hangzhou P. R. China

H

Haodong Yang

Y

Yilun Liu

Laboratory for Multiscale Mechanics and Medical Science State Key Laboratory for Strength and Vibration of Mechanical Structures School of Aerospace Xi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an P. R. China

Z

Zhen Xu

Y

Yingjun Liu

C

Chao Gao