Recent Advances in Passive Vibration Mitigation: Emerging Materials and Novel Mechanisms

The demand for effective, lightweight, and maintenance-free vibration control solutions has driven a paradigm shift from traditional linear isolation toward nonlinear and metamaterial-based strategies. Nonlinear isolation technologies exploit deliberately engineered stiffness characteristics, such as quasi-zero stiffness and high-static-low-dynamic stiffness, to achieve broadband low-frequency vibration suppression without compromising load-bearing capacity. Complementing this, the study of nonlinear dynamics in engineering systems has revealed rich phenomena, including targeted energy transfer and irreversible energy pumping, that can be harnessed for passive, one-way dissipation. Among the most rapidly advancing concepts, the Acoustic Black Hole effect has emerged as an elegant technique whereby bending waves in tapered structures are progressively slowed and trapped, allowing a thin damping layer to dissipate energy with remarkable efficiency. Parallel breakthroughs in inerter-based vibration control offer significant mass amplification effects, enabling compact, high-performance devices. Furthermore, acoustic and elastic metamaterials exhibiting bandgap properties provide unprecedented wave manipulation capabilities, while integrated energy harvesting mechanisms transform dissipated vibrational energy into usable electrical power. This Research Topic aims to showcase cutting-edge developments across these interconnected fields, fostering cross-disciplinary dialogue and accelerating the translation of novel concepts into practical vibration mitigation solutions.

Despite significant progress in passive vibration mitigation, several critical challenges remain unresolved, impeding the widespread adoption of emerging technologies in real-world engineering systems. Acoustic Black Holes, while remarkably effective in thin structures, face practical limitations related to manufacturing constraints at the wedge tip, where the truncation thickness inevitably compromises ideal performance. Nonlinear isolation strategies, such as quasi-zero stiffness mechanisms, often suffer from a narrow effective operating range and sensitivity to payload variations, limiting their robustness in variable loading conditions. Inerter-based devices, though promising for their mass amplification effects, require further investigation into their optimal integration with nonlinear elements and their long-term reliability under complex excitations. Metamaterial-based solutions, despite their extraordinary wave manipulation capabilities, confront challenges in achieving broadband attenuation within practically feasible dimensions. Furthermore, the synergistic combination of these diverse mechanisms remains largely unexplored.

The goal is to address these challenges by bringing together the latest theoretical, numerical, and experimental advances that push the boundaries of passive vibration control. We invite contributions that present novel design frameworks exploiting nonlinear dynamics for broadband energy management, innovative manufacturing approaches to overcome practical limitations of ABH structures, and integrated multi-physics solutions that combine vibration mitigation with energy harvesting functionality. We especially encourage submissions that demonstrate cross-fertilization between traditionally separate domains, such as metamaterial-inspired ABH designs, inerter-enhanced nonlinear absorbers, and machine learning-optimized passive control configurations. By consolidating recent breakthroughs and fostering interdisciplinary dialogue, this collection seeks to chart a roadmap toward robust, adaptable, and industrially viable passive vibration mitigation technologies for the next generation of mechanical systems.

This Research Topic welcomes original research articles, comprehensive reviews, and perspective papers that advance the science and application of passive vibration mitigation. We invite contributions addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

• Nonlinear isolation mechanisms, including quasi-zero stiffness, high-static-low-dynamic stiffness, and bistable configurations

• Acoustic Black Hole structures: theoretical modeling, manufacturing innovations, and experimental validation

• Inerter-based devices and their integration with nonlinear damping elements

• Acoustic and elastic metamaterials with bandgap engineering for vibration attenuation

• Nonlinear energy sinks and targeted energy transfer phenomena

• Energy harvesting from structural vibrations combined with passive control strategies

• Synergistic multi-physics approaches bridging two or more of the above domains

Manuscripts should present rigorous theoretical frameworks supported by numerical simulations or experimental evidence. Studies demonstrating practical applicability, scalability, or real-world implementation are particularly encouraged. All submissions will undergo standard peer review in accordance with the journal's editorial policies. Authors are advised to clearly articulate the novelty and significance of their contributions in relation to the existing literature.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review

Keywords: Nonlinear Isolation Technology, Nonlinear Dynamics in Engineering Systems, Inerter-Based Vibration Control Technologies, Acoustic Black Holes, Metamaterials, Energy Harvesting.

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.