Porous structures offer an attractive approach to reduce the amount of natural resources used while maintaining relatively high mechanical efficiency. However, for some applications the drop in mechanical properties resulting from the introduction of porosity is too high, which has limited the broader utilization of porous materials in industry. Here, it is shown that steel monoliths can be designed to display high mechanical efficiency and reversible self‐reinforcing properties when made with porous architectures with up to three hierarchical levels. Ultralight steel structures that can float on water and autonomously adapt their stiffness are manufactured by the thermal reduction and sintering of 3D printed foam templates. Using distinct mechanical testing techniques, image analysis, and finite element simulations, the mechanisms leading to the high mechanical efficiency and self‐stiffening ability of the hierarchical porous monoliths are studied. The design and fabrication of mechanically stable porous monoliths using iron as a widely available natural resource is expected to contribute to the future development of functional materials with a more sustainable footprint.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2025 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.