Studies on the Effect of Hybridization on Sound Insulation of Coir-banana-polypropylene Hybrid Biocomposites

ABSTRACT

Natural fiber-based hybrid composites have been explored in this study as possible structural materials. Detailed investigation of sound insulation property of a series of hybrid and nonhybrid composites has been carried out using impedance tube having four microphones. Hybrid biocomposites were prepared with chopped and randomly oriented coir and banana fibers. Polypropylene was used as a matrix and compression molding technique was used for composite fabrication. The ratio of both fibers in hybrid biocomposites was maintained at 1:1. The effect of fiber loading and arrangement of fibers on sound insulation property of composites was investigated. It was found that fiber loading and hybridization bear a significant role in improving sound insulation property of hybrid composites. Experimental results showed that increase in fiber loading considerably improved the sound insulation up to a certain limit. The sound insulation property of hybrid and nonhybrid composites has been subsequently discussed. The results showed that sound insulation performance can be customized by structural parameters such as volume fraction, dispersion, ratio, and placement of fibers with respect to sound source, without necessitating a change in raw material.

摘要

本研究探索了天然纤维基复合材料作为可能的结构材料. 利用四麦克风阻抗管对一系列混合和非混合复合材料的隔声性能进行了详细的研究. 以香蕉纤维和碎椰壳为原料，采用随机取向的方法制备了复合材料. 以聚丙烯为基体，采用压缩成型技术制备复合材料. 混合生物复合材料中两种纤维的比例保持在1:1. 研究了纤维载荷和纤维排列对复合材料隔声性能的影响. 结果表明，纤维载荷和杂化对提高复合材料的隔声性能有重要作用. 实验结果表明，纤维载荷的增加对隔声性能有较大的改善，达到一定的极限. 讨论了混杂和非混杂复合材料的隔声性能. 结果表明，在不改变原材料的情况下，可以根据纤维相对于声源的体积分数、弥散度、比例和位置等结构参数来定制隔声性能.

KEYWORDS:

• Natural fibers
• acoustic
• noise
• hybridization
• polymer composites
• impedance tube

关键字:

• 天然纤维
• 声
• 噪音
• 杂化
• 聚合物复合材料
• 阻抗管

Acknowledgments

Authors would like to express their gratitude towards Dr. Mahavir Singh and Dr. Kirti Soni from CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi, for their generous support and acoustic testing facility. Financial assistance for the study was provided by The Ministry of Human Resource and Development, India.

Declaration of conflicting interests

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Fellowship and financial support for this study was supported by Ministry of Human Resource Development, India.