The Meringue-like Product Can Make Airplane as Silent as a Hairdryer

An exceptionally light new material that can decrease aircraft engine noise and enhance passenger comfort has been established at the University of Bath.

The graphene oxide-polyvinyl alcohol aerogel weighs simply 2.1 kg per cubic meter, making it the lightest sound insulation ever before produced. It could also be utilized as insulation inside aircraft engines to reduce noise by approximately 16 decibels – lowering the 105-decibel scream of a jet engine taking off to a sound similar to a hairdryer.

The aerogel’s meringue-like structure makes it very light, implying it can serve as an insulator within airplane engine nacelles, with nearly no increase in total weight. The study group is currently optimizing the product to improve heat dissipation, benefiting fuel efficiency and safety.

Scientists from Bath’s Materials and Structures Centre (MAST) have published a method for making the materials in the journal Nature Scientific Reports.

Professor Michele Meo that led the study says: “This is a fascinating product that could be used in various ways – initially in aerospace however possibly in numerous other areas such as automotive as well as marine transport, in addition to construction as well as building.

“We succeeded in producing such a very low density by utilizing a liquid combination of graphene oxide and a polymer, which are developed with whipped air bubbles and freeze-casted. On a fundamental level, the techniques can be compared with whipping egg whites to develop meringues- it is solid; however, it contains much air, so there is no weight or efficiency penalty to achieve big developments in comfort and noise.”

Although the group’s primary focus is on working with aerospace companions to experiment with the material as a sound insulator in airplane engines, they say it can likewise be used to produce panels in helicopters or auto engines. They approximate that the aerogel could be in use within 18 months.

Originally published on Phys.org. Read the original article.

Reference: Mario Rapisarda, Gian-Piero Malfense Fierro, Michele Meo. Ultralight graphene oxide/polyvinyl alcohol aerogel for broadband and tuneable acoustic properties. Scientific Reports, 2021; 11 (1) DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-90101-0