Metamaterials: Synergy and integration of thermo-mechanical functions

Metamaterials, as a class of artificial composite materials with extraordinary physical properties, exhibit great application potential in both mechanics and thermal science. However, current research predominantly focuses on single-physics-field regulation, with thermo-mechanical function design remaining relatively independent. This leads to challenges such as performance conflicts, failure risks, and insufficient adaptive capabilities in complex engineering environments. This article first reviews the independent progress in mechanical and thermal metamaterials, and then focuses on how to achieve static thermo-mechanical performance integration through microstructural innovation, as well as how to realize thermo-mechanical response synergy based on dynamic mechanisms such as thermoelastic coupling, phase transition regulation, and strain-driven response. Addressing issues such as incomplete theoretical models, low efficiency of inverse design, and insufficient manufacturing reliability, the article further prospects future pathways including AI-enabled cross-scale inverse design, multifunctional design, and intelligent metamaterials, providing references for the development of new-generation thermo-mechanical functional metamaterials.