soft materials | SRM-Lab

Topological transformation of cellular microstructures

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Cellular microstructures can undergo large, reversible topological transformations when coupled with liquid-mediated mechanical instabilities. This project explores how surface forces, geometry, and elastic deformation can be harnessed to reconfigure microscale architectures in response to environmental cues.

By programming the geometry and interactions of cellular structures, liquid-induced transformations provide a route toward adaptive materials with switchable porosity, tunable mechanics, and reconfigurable surface properties.

Functional Microstructured Surfaces

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Functional microstructured surfaces provide a powerful platform for amplifying subtle molecular and interfacial interactions into macroscopically observable responses. This project explores how surface chemistry, topography, and disorder can be engineered to direct the concentration and detection of amphiphilic molecules with high sensitivity.

By coupling molecular self-assembly with surface wetting behavior, these systems reveal new design principles for responsive interfaces, chemical sensing, and bio-inspired functional surfaces.

Reconfigurable cellular metamaterials

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Liquid crystalline elastomers can be programmed to undergo anisotropic transformations through spatial control of molecular alignment. This project explores how local liquid crystal orientation can be coupled with cellular architecture to create reconfigurable microstructured materials with programmable shape change.