Sound absorption characteristics of 3‐dimensional printed biodegradable structure backed with luffa fiber

Abstract

In this work, an investigation has been carried out on the sound absorption properties of the microperforated composites prepared by filling natural luffa fiber and synthetic luffa fiber. These composite structures are created by 3‐dimensional printing of polylactic acid, which exhibits excellent biodegradability. After preparing the structure, the micro‐perforation is done at the top of the composite with the help of a heated cylindrical drill. During the printing process, the infill density (printing parameter) and type of luffa fiber (natural and synthetic) have been varied to find out its effect on acoustic properties. Finally, a comparative study is carried out among natural luffa fiber and without using natural luffa fiber. The results showed excellent sound absorption of luffa filled structure compared to an unfilled structure. Out of three different infilled densities, the density of 5 % revealed a maximum amount of absorption, suggesting the potential applications of these structures in the field of sound absorption.