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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Cotton Chemistry and Utilization Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #209839
Title: Environmentally Benign Acoustical Automotive NW Floor Coverings

Author
item Parikh, Dharnidhar
item CHEN, Y - LOUISIANA STATE UNIV
item Sawhney, Amar
item Condon, Brian

Submitted to: National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/1/2007
Publication Date: 6/15/2007
Citation: Parikh, D.V., Chen, Y., Sawhney, A.P., Condon, B.D. 2007. Environmentally Benign Acoustical Automotive NW Floor Coverings. National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference. CDROM. p. 1342-1345.

Interpretive Summary: Consumers demand new automobiles to be quiet, comfortable, with aesthetically pleasing interiors. We developed environmental friendly needlepunched nonwoven floor coverings from the blends of kenaf, jute, cotton, and flax with polypropylene and polyester which are aesthetically pleasing. Their acoustic properties were test evaluated by ASTM E 1050 “Impedance and Absorption of Acoustical Materials.” The measurements demonstrated that each of the floor coverings was noise absorbant. Noise absorption was significantly improved when floor covering was used along with an underpad. By using such NW floor coverings the automobiles can be made noise-free.

Technical Abstract: It is important to automobile manufacturers to eliminate unwanted noise in passenger compartments of vehicles. The ability to reduce noise inside the vehicle enhances the perceived value of the vehicle to the consumer. One of the methods to make passenger compartments free from noise is to use sound absorbing materials such as floor coverings, package trays, door panels and luggage compartments in auto interiors. Natural fibers are noise absorbing materials that are renewable and biodegradable. Floor coverings made with natural fibers (kenaf, jute, waste cotton, and flax) in blends with polypropylene (PP) and polyester (PET) were developed as carded needlepunched nonwovens. The acoustic properties of these floor coverings, used either alone or in combination with (a) a rebonded polyurethane foam underpad or (b) a soft cotton nonwoven underpad, were test evaluated by ASTM E 1050 “Impedance and Absorption of Acoustical Materials Using A Tube, Two Microphones and Digital Frequency Analysis System.” The measurements demonstrated that each of the natural fiber based nonwoven floor coverings contributed to noise reduction.