Application of a TiO₂ nanocomposite in earplugs: a case study of noise reduction

Abstract

Background. Use of hearing protection devices has become necessary when other control measures cannot reduce noise to a safe and standard level. In most countries, more effective hearing protection devices are in demand. Objective. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanoparticles on noise reduction efficiency in a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) earplug. Methods. An S-60 type PVC polymer as the main matrix and TiO₂ of 30-nm size were used. The PVC/TiO₂ nanocomposite was mixed at a temperature of 160 °C and 40 rpm and the samples were prepared with 0, 0.2 and 0.5 wt% of TiO₂ nanoparticle concentrations. Results. Earplug samples with PVC/TiO₂ (0.2, 0.5 wt%) nanoparticles, when compared with raw earplugs, showed almost equal noise attenuation at low frequencies (500–125 Hz). However, at high frequencies (2–8 kHz), the power of noise reduction for earplugs containing TiO₂ nanoparticles was significantly increased. Conclusions. The results of the present study showed that samples containing nanoparticles of TiO₂ had more noticeable noise reduction abilities at higher frequencies in comparison with samples without the nanoparticles.

Keywords:

• noise reduction
• nanocomposite
• titanium dioxide
• earplug

Acknowledgements

This article was derived from a thesis by Morteza Hesampour as a part of an MSc degree in the field of occupational health engineering. The authors are thankful to the Office of Vice President for Research in Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, which sponsored the project.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Behzad Fouladi Dehaghi http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3678-2713

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences [grant number n87].