Non-linear Mechanics of Kirigami*

Kirigami patterns generate non-trivial three dimensional behavior from perforated sheets, and so offer a promising means for developing mechanical metamaterials. To create a generic account of the mechanical behavior of kirigami, we study the unit cell of a typical kirigami structure, an isolated frame. The mechanical behavior of the entire sheet may then be understood in terms of the coupling of many individual frames. In simple experiments using mylar and paper, we study the scaling of the force response and the buckling behavior with respect to geometric parameters such as hole size and sheet thickness. Because real applications may involve sheets which are initially deformed, we then study how the mechanical response changes in the presence of crumpling. Finally, we study how the behavior of individual frames couples when frames are arranged in chains or sheets.