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Upcycled PVC-Based Metamaterials for Low-Frequency Sound Absorption: Experimental and Analytical Investigation of Honeycomb-Enhanced Architectures

Author

Listed:
  • Giuseppe Ciaburro

    (Department of Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Informatics, Pegaso University, 80143 Naples, Italy)

  • Virginia Puyana-Romero

    (Departamento de Ingeniería en Sonido y Acústica, Universidad de Las Américas, Quito 17513, Ecuador)

Abstract

The treatment and management of waste in industrial processes remain a challenge, especially in material-intensive industries. In an attempt to mitigate this issue, sustainable architectural solutions focus extensively on the reuse of post-consumer waste in a bid to minimize environmental degradation. In this work, we propose a new acoustic metamaterial composed of three layers of reclaimed PVC diaphragms and a structured honeycomb core. The diaphragms were implemented on a hard frame in a manner that incorporates air gaps between layers and were tested using a portable impedance tube for setups including honeycomb panels behind diaphragms, in addition to setups including only air gaps, compared to diaphragms alone. The experimental and simulated results, using a transfer matrix approach, show a significantly improved low-frequency sound absorption performance within the 250–600 Hz band.

Suggested Citation

  • Giuseppe Ciaburro & Virginia Puyana-Romero, 2026. "Upcycled PVC-Based Metamaterials for Low-Frequency Sound Absorption: Experimental and Analytical Investigation of Honeycomb-Enhanced Architectures," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-22, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:18:y:2026:i:5:p:2342-:d:1874471
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