Ultra-strong architected Cu meso-lattices
3-dimensional solid Cu octet meso-lattices with characteristic features on the micron-scale were fabricated and mechanically tested under uniaxial compression. These architected cellular materials were fabricated by a three-step process: (1) direct laser writing of the lattice pattern into a polymer template, (2) electroplating of Cu into the template, and (3) removal of the polymer matrix. The microstructure of the electroplated Cu mainly consists of polycrystalline grains with average diameters of 2μm such that cross-sections of lattice beams mostly consist of a single grain. We discovered that the compressive yield strengths of the open-cell Cu meso-lattices can exceed the yield strength of monolithic bulk Cu as measured from a Cu thin film made with identical conditions. Meso-lattices with relative density of 0.8 had a strength of 332 MPa, which surpassed the bulk yield strength by 80%. This is diametrically opposite to predictions from structural mechanics theory, which states that strength scales linearly with relative density for the octet structure. We attribute the ability of solid Cu meso-lattices to attain such high strengths to the “smaller is stronger” size effect present in single crystalline metals with sub-micron dimensions. This work demonstrates the use and proliferation of the size-dependent strengthening unique to nanostructures in an architected structural material.