Dispersion characteristics of SH waves in Piezo–viscoelastic structure with dual-uncoupled interface for energy harvesting

Purpose The transmission of shear-horizontal (SH) waves in piezoelectric–viscoelastic (PEV) composite media has gained great attention due to its potential usage in sensing technologies, energy harvesting and non-destructive evaluation. In this work, the impact of interfacial internal friction on the attenuation and dispersion properties of SH waves in a PEV composite structure is explored. Design/methodology/approach The interface between a viscoelastic (VE) half-space and a PEV layer is modeled using a dual-membrane arrangement made up of a PEV membrane and a VE membrane separated by a classical spring layer, which accounts for frictional energy dissipation at the interface. Analytical formulas are constructed to derive the governing dispersion relation of the coupled system. Findings Parametric studies are carried out to assess the impact of important material and interfacial factors, including density, elastic stiffness, dielectric constants, piezoelectric coefficients and interfacial friction, on wave dispersion and attenuation. Originality/value The results reveal that interfacial internal friction considerably alters wave propagation properties modifying phase velocity. These findings provide important insights for the design and optimization of PEV multilayer composites in wave-based sensing and energy harvesting applications.