Instabilities and Pattern Transformation in Periodic, Porous Elastoplastic Solid Coatings

Pattern transformation in periodic microporous elastoplastic solid coatings is caused by a buckling of the struts and a rotation of the nodes under compressive stresses. The results of a nonlinear numerical investigation confirm the critical role of the bifurcation of the periodic solid under compressive stresses. In striking contrast to the earlier observations of elastic instabilities in porous elastomeric solids, the elastic-plastic nature of the cross-linked periodic microstructure studied here provides the ability to lock in the transformed pattern with complete relaxation of the internal stresses. The study unveils a novel deformation mode in porous periodic solids in the form of organized buckling instability of weak strut elements.