3D topologically polarized elastic metamaterials enable asymmetric energy isolation at finite frequencies

Topologically polarized elasticity has been extensively studied in lower dimensions, yet its three-dimensional (3D) counterpart remains largely unexplored. Here, we demonstrate omnidirectional topological elasticity in 3D structures that incorporate bending stiffness, which elevates zero-frequency topological mechanical states into finite-frequency phononic modes. These modes are localized at a single boundary, creating a pronounced stiffness contrast in both static and finite-frequency dynamic regimes. This 3D structure exhibits highly polarized mechanical behavior across all spatial dimensions, establishing omnidirectional asymmetric topological elasticity. Experimental and numerical results confirm robust, asymmetric energy isolation, arising from the interplay between bulk topological polarization and boundary-localized surface modes. Our findings establish a paradigm for 3D metamaterials, with promising applications in vibration shielding and directional wave manipulation.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Science Advances
Published
2026-07-17
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aec6144
Primary Topic
Acoustic Wave Phenomena Research
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

3D topologically polarized elastic metamaterials enable asymmetric energy isolation at finite frequencies

Xicheng Zhang, Di Zhou, Yugui Yao, Fangyuan Ma et al.
Science Advances
Acoustic Wave Phenomena Research
article

3D topologically polarized elastic metamaterials enable asymmetric energy isolation at finite frequencies

Xicheng Zhang, Di Zhou, Yugui Yao, Fangyuan Ma, Zheng Tang, Xuejian Gong, Feng Li, Ying Wu
article en

Abstract

Topologically polarized elasticity has been extensively studied in lower dimensions, yet its three-dimensional (3D) counterpart remains largely unexplored. Here, we demonstrate omnidirectional topological elasticity in 3D structures that incorporate bending stiffness, which elevates zero-frequency topological mechanical states into finite-frequency phononic modes. These modes are localized at a single boundary, creating a pronounced stiffness contrast in both static and finite-frequency dynamic regimes. This 3D structure exhibits highly polarized mechanical behavior across all spatial dimensions, establishing omnidirectional asymmetric topological elasticity. Experimental and numerical results confirm robust, asymmetric energy isolation, arising from the interplay between bulk topological polarization and boundary-localized surface modes. Our findings establish a paradigm for 3D metamaterials, with promising applications in vibration shielding and directional wave manipulation.

Science AdvancesVol. 12(29)
Beijing Institute of Technology (CN), Nanjing University of Science and Technology (CN)
National Natural Science Foundation of China, Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities
Affordable and clean energy
Openalex Percentile: Top 15%
Acoustic Wave Phenomena Research
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.