Numerical predictions for the effect of negative Poisson's ratio on thermoelastic properties of triply periodic minimal surface-based composites

This study investigates the effect of negative Poisson's ratio on thermoelastic properties of triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMS)-based composites. Schwarz and Gyroid TMPS-based representative volume elements (RVEs) with different volume fractions are generated. Finite element simulations are performed on RVEs to estimate their thermoelastic effective properties. The Poisson's ratio of matrix and TPMS is varied over the range containing positive and negative values. These composites demonstrated tailorable effective properties through exploiting the negative Poisson's ratio. The numerical results are fitted with surface polynomials and the effective properties in terms of both the volume fraction and Poisson's ratio are expressed. From the fitted expression, results are compared for a different set of Poisson's ratios with existing micromechanical models. Comparison is found to be in good agreement for positive values of Poisson's ratios. The numerically fitted expression is found to be beneficial, especially for negative values of Poisson's ratio, where the existing micromechanical models fail to account the Poisson's ratio effect. TPMS-based composites offer a new guideline for achieving unusual and enhanced material properties via exploiting negative Poisson ratios that is potentially attractive for aerospace and protective applications such as protective clothing, body armor, and bullet-proof helmets.