Auxetic cellular structures through selective electron-beam melting

Abstract

This paper is concerned with the build up and characterization of well-defined auxetic structures (negative Poisson ratio) from Ti-6Al-4V through selective electron-beam melting (SEBM). SEBM is a rapid prototyping/manufacturing technique allowing for the direct translation of CAD models to real world objects. Using SEBM we are able to produce structures of arbitrary geometry in a well-defined manner. Here, we introduce a self-designed 3D-auxetic structure and determine its mechanical properties. We also address the dependence of Young's modulus on relative density.