Absorptive Materials

There are three families of devices for sound absorption -

a) Fibrous materials
b) Panel resonators
c) and Volume resonators

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All types absorb sound by changing sound energy into heat energy. Only fibrous materials and panel
resonators are used commonly in buildings. Volume resonators are used principally as enclosures for
absorbing a narrow band of frequencies.

"FIBROUS" material or porous absorb the frictional drag produced by moving the air in small spaces
within the material. The absorption provided by a specific material depends on its thickness, density, and
porosity and resistance to air flow.

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For example, materials must be thick to absorb low frequency sound effectively. Since the action depends
on absorbing energy by "pumping" air through the material. the air paths must extend from one side to the
other. A fibrous material with sealed pores is useless as an acoustic absorbent. Therefore, painting will
generally ruin a porous absorber).

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A simple test is to blow smoke through the material. Of the smoke passes through freely and the material
is porous, fibrous, and thick it should be a good sound absorbent. Porosity provided it is above 70%, does
not much affect absorption.

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The table in the next pages gives absorbent materials and for building materials and furnishings. Several
important conclusions can be drawn from examination of this table.

(a) For absorbent materials, absorption is normally in higher at high frequencies than at low.
(b) Absorption is not always proportional to thickness, but depends on the type of material being used and
the method of installation.
It is clear from this figure that beyond a nominal thickness except at very low
frequency, or when installed discontinuously, as in (c) below.

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(c) It is possible to obtain an a greater than 1.0 by using very thick blocks. See
"Fiber Blocks" in the table. These are installed at a distance from each other
and the edge absorption is very large, particularly at high frequencies.
(d) Installation methods have a pronounced effect.

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Type of Acoustical Materials

Most commercially available acoustical materials are included in one of the three following categories:
1. Pre-fabricated Units -These include acoustical tile, which is the principal type
of material available for acoustical treatment; mechanically perforated units
backed with absorbent material; and certain wall boards, tile boards and absorbent
sheets.
2. Acoustical Plaster and Sprayed - On materials. these materials comprise
plastic and porous materials applied with a trowel; and fibrous materials. combined
with binder agents, which are applied with (sprayed on) an air gun of
blower.
3. Acoustical Blankets- Blankets are made up chiefly of mineral or wood wool,
glass fibers, kapok batts, and hair felt. The physical characteristics of the
materials in each of these categories will now be considered.