Improving 3D-spacer fabric composites with silica nano particles for buildings soundproofing

Abstract

Modern science and technology constantly require new and novel materials with special properties. Over the past decade, Nanocomposites materials have received significant attention as active materials in components ranging from sensors to biomaterials, electronics devices to structural parts. These novel composites have applications in many areas, such as energy, insulation, manufacturing, and the modern building industry. However, not all applications have the same requirements in terms of acoustic insulation, so it is useful to adapt the kind of core materials and their product specifications, such as particle size and porosity, to the different applications. Furthermore, in some applications, cheaper core materials, like precipitated silica, would be a reasonable alternative to replace the time-consuming series of measurements. Because of many bad conditions that affect acoustic insulation properties in modern buildings. And to summarize recent applications of nanotechnology as they relate to textile fibers, yarns, and fabrics for improving acoustic insulation in modern buildings and civilian communities, this paper discusses the ability to apply 3D woven spacer fabric (3DWSF) composite materials reinforced with epoxy, rigid polyurethane foam, and silica nanoporous particles, which were prepared by the sol-gel technique. Four samples had been prepared, all of these samples were textile composite materials, and reinforced with two types of nano silica 99.8% SiO2; mesoporous Ns particles with porosity up to 83%, true density 0.08 g/cm³, and particle size between 100 and 2000 nm and pore size 70–150 nm, which had been prepared by Sol-gel technique, and nonporous Aerosil®200 particles with surface area 200–225 m2/g, true density 0.25 g/cm³, and particle size between 2 and 20 nm. We used rigid polyurethane foam as core material, and epoxy resin for laminating the fabric. 3D spacer E-glass fabrics, and chopped E-glass microfibers had been used. The weight percentage of silica nano particles which were used in this research was 5% by weight, which was better for economic reasons, and enough, to enhance the acoustic absorption coefficient up to [Formula: see text] = 99.79%. The best sound absorption could be achieved by using mesoporous silica nanoparticles, and soundproofing of an insulator using this porous structure is better than using a nonporous one. We found in this research that the thickness 45 mm and semi-porosity structure of the 3DWSF composite insulator material were enough to make a difference, with reference to the thermal and acoustic insulation guide of buildings.