Soft magnetoactive metamaterials for remote tunability of elastic waves

Project Information

MetaMagic

Grant agreement ID: 101106301

DOI

10.3030/101106301

Project closed

EC signature date 16 March 2023

Start date 1 June 2023

End date 31 May 2025

Funded under

• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)

Total cost

No data

EU contribution

€ 199 694,40

Coordinated by

UNIVERSITY OF GALWAY
Ireland

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - MetaMagic (Soft magnetoactive metamaterials for remote tunability of elastic waves)

Reporting period: 2023-06-01 to 2025-05-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The MetaMagic project was initiated to address critical limitations in current wave control and mechanical signal processing technologies, particularly in sectors requiring real-time adaptability, vibration isolation, energy harvesting, and stealth capabilities. Conventional mechanical and acoustic metamaterials are typically passive, with limited tunability and ability to respond dynamically to changing environments.
To overcome these challenges, the project focused on developing a new class of materials known as Soft Magnetoactive Metamaterials (SMMs). These materials are programmable, reconfigurable, and multifunctional, capable of actively and remotely manipulating elastic waves. By exploiting magneto-mechanical coupling in soft elastomers embedded with magnetic particles, SMMs offer unprecedented control over complex wave phenomena—including broadband low-frequency attenuation, topologically protected edge state, invisible cloaking, and nonlinear solitary wave propagation.
The overarching objective of MetaMagic was to establish the theoretical foundations, computational modeling tools, and experimental validation necessary to realize these innovative materials. In doing so, the project positions SMMs as transformative solutions for real-world applications across aerospace, automotive, biomedical, and civil infrastructure sectors. MetaMagic has laid a robust scientific foundation with the potential to significantly advance the fields of smart materials, mechanical metamaterials, and programmable matter.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

During the fellowship period, the MetaMagic project successfully completed three key technical Work Packages (WPs).
WP1 – Theoretical Analysis: A comprehensive analytical framework was developed to describe the magneto-mechanical and dynamic behavior of magnetoactive metamaterials. By applying Bloch-Floquet theory, topological mechanics, and nonlinear wave theory, the project demonstrated how external magnetic fields can modulate band gap, trigger topological phase transitions, and enable tunable elastic cloaking and solitary wave propagation in structured soft magnetically active media.
WP2 – Numerical Simulations: Advanced Multiphysics simulation models were developed using COMSOL and MATLAB to capture magneto-mechanical coupling, nonlinear wave propagation, and unit cell optimization. These tools enabled accurate prediction and visualization of tunable broadband wave attenuation, elastic cloaking, and edge state- and soliton-guided wave dynamics in soft magnetoactive metamaterials.
WP3 – Fabrication and Experiments: Soft magnetoactive metamaterials were fabricated using a multi-material 3D printing technique. The nonlinear mechanical responses of the SMMs that support solitary wave propagation and topologically protected edge states were measured. The experimental results closely matched theoretical and numerical predictions, confirming the reconfigurable functionalities of geometry patterns and mechanical stiffnesses.
Collectively, these efforts resulted in the successful proof-of-concept demonstration of multifunctional SMMs. The outcomes have been disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and open-access datasets. In parallel, the project supported training and mentoring activities, promoting knowledge transfer across academic institutions and research disciplines.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

MetaMagic has significantly advanced the state of the art by introducing a new class of actively reconfigurable elastic metamaterials, made possible through the integration of soft matter physics and magnetic field responsiveness. The project demonstrated tunable multifunctional wave control and manipulation—including attenuation, guiding, and cloaking—within a single, compact material system.
In contrast to conventional metamaterials with fixed, passive responses, the SMMs developed in this project demonstrate remote programmability, adaptability to environmental changes, and mechanical compliance. These capabilities open up transformative possibilities in practical applications such as wearable sensing technologies, adaptive vibration isolation, acoustic stealth systems, and soft robotics.

Soft Magnetoactive Metamaterials