Design and SLA fabrication of novel crystal-inspired 3D metamaterials with stable zero Poisson’s ratio and improved energy absorption

This study introduces a novel three-dimensional zero Poisson’s ratio (ZPR) metamaterial with enhanced energy absorption and robust ZPR stability under large compressive deformations in perpendicular planes. The design is inspired by crystal-like node-and-linker architectures and is fabricated using stereolithography to ensure high geometric fidelity. Quasi-static compression experiments are performed alongside complementary finite-element simulations, and the two approaches show close agreement in deformation modes and stress–strain response, validating the numerical model for parametric exploration. Both experiments and finite-element simulations exhibit strong agreement in deformation behaviour and mechanical metrics, which confirms the reliability of the numerical model used for design evaluation. Despite its low relative density, the proposed design delivers effective energy absorption and sustained mechanical stability under large strains. The structure preserves ZPR behaviour in both planes (X-Z and Y-Z), with one plane maintaining that behaviour over a longer strain range than the other (45% compare to 60%). A parametric study on spheres size and linker thickness reveals controllable trade-offs: increasing spheres size or thickening linkers raises stiffness and energy absorption, whereas reducing spheres size or tuning linker thickness extends the strain range over which ZPR is maintained while modestly reducing absorbed energy. These findings indicate that the presented crystal-inspired metamaterial can be tailored to application priorities and is a strong candidate for energy-absorbing components and lightweight protective systems requiring reliable ZPR performance at large deformations.