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  • Omnimodal topological polarization of bilayer networks: Analysis in the Maxwell limit and experiments on a 3D-printed prototype
Title: Omnimodal topological polarization of bilayer networks: Analysis in the Maxwell limit and experiments on a 3D-printed prototype
Periodic networks on the verge of mechanical instability, called Maxwell lattices, are known to exhibit zero-frequency modes localized to their boundaries. Topologically polarized Maxwell lattices, in particular, focus these zero modes to one of their boundaries in a manner that is protected against disorder by the reciprocal-space topology of the lattice’s band structure. Here, we introduce a class of mechanical bilayers as a model system for designing topologically protected edge modes that couple in-plane dilational and shearing modes to out-of-plane flexural modes, a paradigm that we refer to as “omnimodal polarization.” While these structures exhibit a high-dimensional design space that makes it difficult to predict the topological polarization of generic geometries, we are able to identify a family of mirror-symmetric bilayers that inherit the in-plane modal localization of their constitutive monolayers, whose topological polarization can be determined analytically. Importantly, the coupling between the layers results in the emergence of omnimodal polarization, whereby in-plane and out-of-plane edge modes localize on the same edge. We demonstrate these theoretical results by fabricating a mirror-symmetric, topologically polarized kagome bilayer consisting of a network of elastic beams via additive manufacturing and confirm this finite-frequency polarization via finite element analysis and laser-vibrometry experiments.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1741618
PAR ID:
10479663
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ;
Publisher / Repository:
National Academy of Sciences
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Volume:
119
Issue:
40
ISSN:
0027-8424
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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