Acoustical properties of a 3D printed honeycomb structure filled with nanofillers: Experimental analysis and optimization for emerging applications

The novelty of this research lies in the successful fabrication of a 3D-printed honeycomb structure filled with nanofillers for acoustic properties, utilizing an impedance tube setup in accordance with ASTM standard E 1050-12. The Creality Ender-3, a 3D printer, was used for printing the honeycomb structures, and polylactic acid (PLA) material was employed for their construction. The organic, inorganic, and polymeric compounds within the composites were identified using fourier transformation infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The structure and homogeneity of the samples were examined using a field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM). To determine the sound absorption coefficient of the 3D printed honeycomb structure, numerous samples were systematically developed using central composite design (CCD) and analysed using response surface methodology (RSM). The RSM mathematical model was established to predict the optimum values of each factor and noise reduction coefficient (NRC). The optimum values for an NRC of 0.377 were found to be 1.116 wt% carbon black, 1.025 wt% aluminium powder, and 3.151 mm distance between parallel edges. Overall, the results demonstrate that a 3D-printed honeycomb structure filled with nanofillers is an excellent material that can be utilized in various fields, including defence and aviation, where lightweight and acoustic properties are of great importance.