Chiral twist buckling metastructure for energy absorption and adaptive grasping

Simultaneously achieving energy absorption stability and movement agility is inherently challenging, as these metrics typically demand conflicting structural features. To address this, we designed an innovative rod-based metastructure composed of freely rotatable chiral units, based on the Kresling origami principle. 3D-printed samples fabricated via selective laser sintering exhibit outstanding energy absorption under quasi-static compression testing. More significantly, their modular assemblies transcend the limitations of conventional honeycomb structures, exhibiting nearly ideal, triaxially comparable energy absorption performance, with a weakening level in anisotropy of over 94%. The unique compression-twist deformation mechanism of this metastructure enables direct applications in soft robotics, where adaptive soft grippers constructed from heterochiral modules display remarkable universality and high grasping efficiency. Our proposed design strategy is scalable, providing a novel pathway for developing lightweight, compact and multi-functional structures.