A Short Review of Recent Innovations in Acoustic Materials and Panel Design: Emphasizing Wood Composites for Enhanced Performance and Sustainability

Applied Sciences 2025
Aleksandrs Korjakins, Genādijs Šahmenko, Vjačeslavs Lapkovskis

The aim of this study is to investigate the potential of wood composites as sustainable acoustic materials and to explore their integration with advanced manufacturing tech-niques for improved performance. Using a comprehensive review methodology, the paper analyzes recent innovations in wood composites, focusing on the combination with other sustainable materials such as expanded polystyrene (EPS) and natural fibers. The results show that wood composites can achieve sound absorption coefficients (α) of up to 0.9, with oak panels showing transmission losses of up to 11 dB. In addition, advanced de-signs, including biodegradable panels and lightweight honeycomb structures, signifi-cantly improve sound transmission loss, with an average sound transmission loss (TLeq) of up to 28.3 dB reported for composite panels made from waste tire rubber. In addition, the study highlights the environmental benefits achieved through the use of agricultural byproducts and industrial waste in the development of these materials, confirming the role of wood composites as a carbon-neutral alternative in the quest for green building solu-tions. This study provides valuable insights into the transformative potential of wood composites for sustainable acoustic applications.

Keywords
wood composites; sustainable acoustic materials; sound absorption; eco-friendly building solutions; acoustic panel design; natural fiber composites; noise reduction; bio-based materials
DOI
10.3390/app15094644
Hyperlink
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/9/4644

Korjakins, A., Šahmenko, G., Lapkovskis, V. A Short Review of Recent Innovations in Acoustic Materials and Panel Design: Emphasizing Wood Composites for Enhanced Performance and Sustainability. Applied Sciences, 2025, Vol. 15, No. 9, Article number 4644. e-ISSN 2076-3417. Available from: doi:10.3390/app15094644

Publication language
English (en)