Development and Fabrication of a Natural and Eco-Friendly Sound Absorber From Walnut Shell Waste: A Mathematical Modeling and Acoustic Performance Evaluation Approach; [توسعه و ساخت جاذب صوت طبیعی و زیست سازگار از پسماند پوست سخت گردو بارویکرد مدل سازی ریاضی و ارزیابی عملکرد آکوستیکی]



Sheikhmozafari MJ ; Taban E ; Mohsenian A ; Attenborough K ; Faridan M
Source: Journal of Health and Safety at Work Published:2025

Abstract

Introduction: Environmental and health concerns regarding synthetic sound absorbers necessitate natural, sustainable alternatives. Agricultural waste like walnut shells is promising due to its inherent porosity. This study evaluates the acoustic properties of walnut shell composites, investigating the influence of key design parameters like thickness and chopping level on sound absorption performance. Material and Methods: Porous granular samples were fabricated from walnut shells at three chopping levels (minimally, moderately, finely) and four thicknesses (20, 40, 60, and 80 mm). The sound absorption coefficient was measured via the impedance tube method. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) analyzed the material’s morphology, and results were validated with Slanted Slit (SS) and Nonuniform Pore Size Distribution (NUPSD) mathematical models. Results: Both increased thickness and chopping level significantly enhanced sound absorption. For finely chopped samples, increasing thickness from 20 to 80 mm shifted the absorption peak from 2000 Hz to 630 Hz. At a constant 80 mm thickness, intensified chopping boosted the absorption coefficient at 630 Hz from 0.48 to 0.97. This improvement correlated directly with increased density, tortuosity, and airflow resistivity. Model predictions showed the best agreement for the most finely chopped samples. Conclusion: Walnut shell waste, especially after intensive mechanical processing, is a highly effective and sustainable sound-absorbing material. The chopping process optimizes the acoustic structure by activating the material’s inherent micro-porosity, yielding excellent performance in the speech frequency range (500-2000 Hz). This material shows significant potential as a green alternative to synthetic absorbers for indoor noise control. Copyright © 2025 The Authors.