The potential of pineapple leaf fibre as an acoustic absorber

Abstract

This study discussed an alternative material known as pineapple leaf fibres (PALF) as a replacement of synthetic fibres in sound absorber production. The samples were fabricated from two different sizes of PALF, with and without binder of different thicknesses and densities to determine their effects on the sound absorption coefficient (SAC). The performance of SAC was measured by using an impedance tube instrument according to ISO 10534-2. The resulting frequency peak value of PALF obtained was in the range of 1–2 kHz. The results demonstrated PALF as a new hope for environmentally-friendly sound absorption material in replacing synthetic fibres. The PALF was capable of achieving SAC of more than 0.9 on average above 1 kHz by keeping the densities and thicknesses of the fibres under control. Additionally, the acoustic performance of PALF specimens was better than that of synthetic absorbers available in the market. Therefore, PALF is a promising natural fibre that can be potentially used as a sound absorber material.