On the properties of auxetic meta-tetrachiral structures

Auxetics are systems which get fatter when stretched and thinner when compressed i.e. they exhibit a negative Poisson's ratio. Here, we present an analysis of a novel class of structures (referred to as 'mata-chiral') which belong to the class of auxetics constructed using chiral building blocks. We show through analytical modelling that some of these systems can exhibit negative Poisson's ratios, the extent of which will depend, amongst other things, on the geometry of the system. (c) 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.