Advances of Additively Manufactured Mechanical Metamaterials
A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Additive Manufacturing Technologies".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 January 2026 | Viewed by 10
Special Issue Editors
Interests: additive manufacturing; metamaterials; numerical modeling; smart manufacturing; robotics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: mechanical metamaterials; additive manufacturing; compliant mechanisms; architected materials; cellular and lattice structures; mechanisms design
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Additive manufacturing (AM) has transformed mechanical metamaterials from a theoretical curiosity to an engineering reality. The geometric freedom of AM now allows researchers to create intricate cellular and lattice architectures whose properties can be tuned far beyond those of conventional solids, achieving extreme stiffness-to-weight ratios, programmable compliance, negative Poisson’s ratios, tailored energy absorption on demand, and multifunctional behavior that blends mechanics with thermal, acoustic, or biological performance.
This Special Issue seeks original research that pushes the frontier of architected metamaterials enabled by AM. We welcome fundamental studies that deepen our understanding of structure–property relationships, as well as application-driven contributions that demonstrate translational impact in aerospace, energy, robotics, biomedical devices, consumer products, and other sectors.
Submissions may include, but are not limited to, the following topics:
- Novel unit-cell and lattice designs, including hierarchical, graded, hybrid, or multi-material concepts;
- Design for AM, generative design, and topology optimization tailored to metamaterials;
- Experimental and computational characterization of mechanical response across length scales;
- Process–structure–property correlations for polymer, metal, ceramic, composite, and hybrid AM routes;
- Data-driven and machine learning approaches for rapid design and property prediction;
- Functionally integrated or multifunctional metamaterials;
- Scale effects, up-scaling techniques, and reliability considerations for industrial adoption;
- Applications of metamaterials in real or practical cases.
We welcome full research articles, communications, and comprehensive reviews that demonstrate fundamental insights or translational impact in the engineering and design of additively manufactured mechanical metamaterials.
Dr. Rafael A. Guerra Silva
Dr. Enrique Cuan-Urquizo
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- mechanical metamaterials
- additive manufacturing
- cellular materials
- lattice structures
- 3D printing
- architected materials
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
