Tunable bandgaps in DNA-Inspired piezoelectric phononic crystal Beams via PWE/FE method

This study proposes a DNA-inspired tunable bandgap piezoelectric phononic crystal beam (DTBP) and develops a PWE/FE method with broader applicability and enhanced computational convergence for bandgap analysis in complex structures. Unlike conventional DNA-inspired phononic crystals that rely solely on single-material geometric configurations to achieve low-frequency bandgaps, DTBP leverages local resonance effects to significantly reduce the bandgaps’ starting frequency while utilizing multi-layer resonance modes to effectively expand its bandwidth. Experimental results demonstrate that the PWE/FE method accurately predicts bandgap ranges, confirming the validity of the DTBP structure. The study further reveals that DTBP exhibits five bandgaps within the 600–2200 Hz range, with a maximum transmission loss of 183.88 dB. By extracting modal patterns at the critical points of each energy band, the underlying mechanisms of bandgap formation were systematically analyzed. Compared to traditional bio-inspired phononic crystals, DTBP exhibits remarkable advantages in bandgap lowering, bandwidth expansion, and tunability. Further investigations indicate that by modifying the lattice constant , adjusting the scatterer vibrator dimensions, applying voltage, and reducing the unit cell thickness, DTBP enables substantial bandgap tunability at the millimeter scale, demonstrating its exceptional adaptability. These findings highlight the broad application potential of DTBP in vibration isolation and noise suppression , offering a novel and highly adaptable solution for targeted engineering applications .