Lattice model for self-folding at the microscale

TL;DR

This paper introduces a lattice model to describe the stochastic dynamics of microscale self-folding of 2D templates into 3D structures, combining analytical and simulation methods to analyze folding times.

Contribution

It presents a novel lattice-based framework for modeling microscale self-folding, bridging analytical and Monte Carlo simulations to predict folding behavior.

Findings

Folding time depends on number of faces, closing angle, and initial configuration.

The model captures the stochastic nature of panel binding events.

Implications for designing complex self-folding microscale structures.

Abstract

Three-dimensional shell-like structures can be obtained spontaneously at the microscale from the self-folding of 2D templates of rigid panels. At least for simple structures, the motion of each panel is consistent with a Brownian process and folding occurs through a sequence of binding events, where pairs of panels meet at a specific closing angle. Here, we propose a lattice model to describe the dynamics of self-folding. As an example, we study the folding of a pyramid of N lateral faces. We combine analytical and numerical Monte Carlo simulations to find how the folding time depends on the number of faces, closing angle, and initial configuration. Implications for the study of more complex structures are discussed.