Longitudinal wave propagation behavior and dimension effect of origami-inspired metamaterials prepared by laser powder bed fusion

• The Miura-origami inspired metamaterial, with four longitudinal band gaps and quasi-zero stiffness, effectively reduces resonant frequency and enhances damping ratio. • Optimizing the structural parameters of the metamaterial vibration isolation unit significantly enhances low-frequency vibration isolation performance. • Different frame thicknesses affect the resonant frequency and bandgap width of the metamaterials. • The surface roughness affected by frame dimensions influences fatigue sensitivity and overall mechanical performance. Origami principles have garnered significant attention in science and engineering due to their unique deformation behaviors and resultant mechanical properties. This study introduces an innovative elastic metamaterial inspired by Miura-origami tubes, fabricated using laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), a prevalent additive manufacturing technique. The metamaterial’s unit cell consists of a diamond-shaped frame and a pair of orthogonal springs, displaying quasi-zero stiffness through the interaction of lateral and longitudinal springs, which balances internal pressure and tension. The transmission and dispersion of longitudinal waves in these metamaterials, with varying structural parameters, were systematically investigated. The findings demonstrate that the Miura-origami inspired metamaterial can generate ultra-wide band gaps for low-frequency longitudinal waves (500 Hz to 2500 Hz). It effectively converts longitudinal waves into other energy forms via internal vibration mode transformations. Structural parameters critically impact the metamaterial’s mechanical performance and manufacturing quality. Optimal parameters for LPBF fabrication were identified through rigorous experiments and simulations. These origami-inspired elastic metamaterials show substantial promise for vibration mitigation in civil, mechanical, and aerospace engineering applications.