Sound absorption properties of polyurethane-based warp-knitted spacer fabric composites

Abstract

Sound absorption properties of polyurethane-based warp-knitted spacer fabric composites (PWSF) have been studied. The warp-knitted spacer fabrics (WSF) are produced on a double-needle bar warp knitting machine using different structural parameters including inclination angle of spacer yarn, thickness, spacer yarn’s diameter and surface layer structure. The composites are fabricated based on a flexible polyurethane foam. Accordingly, the acoustical behaviors of composites are evaluated properly by using two-microphone transfer function techniques in impedance tube. The findings reveal that the composites possess excellent sound absorption properties and their sound absorbability can be tailored to meet the specific end-use requirements by varying the fabric structural parameters.