The grant is awarded as part of the Materials NL: Challenges programme, for which in this round of applications seven projects for a total amount of five million euros were funded. The programme stimulates research on topics related to materials, and aims for strong ties between academia and industry. Besides the University of Amsterdam, four companies are involved in Coulais’ proposal: Tata Steel, ATG Europe, Livit and M2i.

Dissipative metamaterials

Metamaterials are man-made materials with extraordinary properties that come from their geometrical structure rather than their chemical composition. In Coulais’ project, the researchers will develop a novel generation of metamaterials for damping shocks and vibrations. Such materials have many applications, e.g. in the orthopaedic, automotive and aerospace industries.

The research project will commence in January 2020, and will have a total duration of four years.