Microscopic metamaterials that can shrink and expand on their own
Physicists from AMOLF and Leiden University created the first micro-scale metamaterials that can take on specific shapes without external control. This breakthrough paves the way for smart, self-adapting materials. The …
When a slender object, like a card, column or beam, is compressed, it buckles and curves in one of two directions - as described by the scientist Leonhard Euler in …
How disordered materials age and what we can learn from that
From the crinkle of a candy wrapper to the squish of a metal kitchen scrubber, disordered materials that lack a regular structure share a surprising secret. Despite their differences, they …
AMOLF researchers in the group of Martin van Hecke working on theoretical models for disordered materials, discovered how these systems can start switching between states in unexpected ways. The results …
Burak Demirbas - Stress-induced protein dynamics and growth arrest in C. elegans during development - May 16th Burak did his doctoral research in the group of Jeroen van Zon. He …
Infomatter symposium: taking advantage of information in a system
On Thursday, May 22nd, AMOLF organized the Infomatter Symposium to discuss exciting developments in information processing — ranging from biochemical to mechanical and optical systems. What these systems share is …
Discovery unlocks new exotic properties for soft robotics, smart devices, and more. When you pull something—like a rubber band—you expect it to get longer. But what if it did the …
Without electronics carrying out computational tasks our daily lives would look very different. Devices such as elevators, vending machines, turnstiles, washing machines and even traffic lights use a simple form …
Corrugated plastic unveils a new design principle for programmable materials
Corrugated plastic turns out to be exemplary of a new class of ‘multistable’ metamaterials that can reversibly change shape. This insight can lead to new applications, from robots to medical …
A block of rubber that counts to ten and even remembers in which sequence it was compressed. Physicists Martin van Hecke and Lennard Kwakernaak (Leiden and AMOLF Amsterdam) share a …
