Design of an origami metamaterial with broadband electromagnetic wave absorption and high load-bearing performance

Design of lightweight architectures with multifunctionalities of broadband electromagnetic shielding and structural load-bearing has gained significant attention due to expanding applications in fields such as defense industry and electronic devices. This study proposes a three-dimensional electromagnetic wave absorption origami metamaterial (3D EAOM) that synergistically integrates resistive film with glass fiber-reinforced composite origami structure, achieving simultaneous enhancement in effective absorption bandwidth and load-bearing capacity. A finite model is established to characterize wave propagation and energy dissipation distribution within the 3D EAOM. Samples were fabricated using folding assembly method and tested based on the arch frame reflectivity method to validate the simulation model. Furthermore, an optimization model is established to search for structural parameters that maximize wave absorption performance of the 3D EAOM. By comparing the proposed 3D EAOM with a conventional grid structure of equivalent size, it is found that the 3D EAOM can extend the absorption bandwidth to a full frequency range of 2 ∼ 18 GHz, which is significantly wider than that of the equivalent-sized grid structure. This is mainly because the complex spatially arranged origami planes acts as extra wave reflection surfaces that cause more resonances, thereby improving the absorption performance. Subsequently, the mechanical load-bearing performance is investigated by experimental and numerical methods. Results show that, compared to the grid structure of the same size, the specific strength of the 3D EAOM improves by more than 30%. This is primarily due to the participation of internal convex in deformation, reducing stress on the outer walls. By introducing origami structure to construct 3D EAOM with load-bearing and broadband electromagnetic wave absorption, this study provides valuable references for future development of wave-absorbing metamaterials.