Development and Sound Absorption Testing of a Poroelastic Kenaf/Sisal Fibre Composite Trim for Lowering of Vehicle Cabin Noise Levels

Abstract

The automotive industry is under pressure to produce a product (vehicle) that is more recyclable and environmentally-friendly with a high fuel efficiency. At the same time, customers are looking for a vehicle that will provide them with a comfortable ride and low cabin noise levels. Therefore, the present work is concerned with the development and characterization of new poroelastic natural fibre-based sound absorbers, which have not yet been contemplated. This newly developed material is to be recyclable and in addition, be an environmentally-friendly alternative to synthetic absorbers which are currently used as internal trims in vehicles. Therefore, several sound absorber variants, based on the above, were developed and tested in order to select an optimally performing product. These sound absorbers are made of different ratios of kenaf and sisal fibres, which are held together by Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) matrix. On evaluation of the results, it was found that the proposed sound absorbers have airflow resistivity and sound absorption coefficient values compatible to that of normal practice. KEYWORDS