San Diego State University Foundation was awarded a three-year, $301,233 project grant from the National Science Foundation Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation under the Engineering (47.041) federal grant program.
The grant will fund collaborative research investigations of density-graded auxetic foams at multiple scales. Researchers will examine the mechanical properties and behaviors of these novel foams, which have negative Poisson's ratios allowing them to expand laterally when stretched, or contract laterally when compressed. Insights gained from the research at San Diego State University could enable new lightweight materials with enhanced energy absorption and impact resistance capabilities. The project aims to advance fundamental understanding of auxetic foams while exploring potential engineering applications across multiple industries.