Breaking the pattern: How disorder toughens materials

Researchers found that introducing controlled disorder to mechanical metamaterials' structure can more than double their crack resistance. By modifying the internal geometry of 3D-printed or laser-cut materials, toughness increased 2.6 times without altering the material composition. This addresses fragility in many 3D-printed metamaterials and could benefit industries like aerospace. The optimal disorder level prevented straight-line crack propagation, requiring more extensive damage before failure.