Advanced Acoustic and Thermal Insulation Materials: Mechanisms, Development, and Multifunctional Applications
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64229/zwqq9k61Keywords:
Thermal Insulation, Acoustic Absorption, Sound Insulation, Sustainable Materials, Multifunctional Composites, Building Physics, Life Cycle AssessmentAbstract
The escalating demands for energy efficiency and acoustic comfort in building, transportation, and industrial sectors have propelled intensive research and development in advanced insulation materials. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the fundamental mechanisms, material types, recent advancements, and multifunctional applications of both acoustic and thermal insulation materials. While often treated separately, the interplay and occasional conflicts between acoustic and thermal properties are crucial for developing integrated solutions. We begin by elucidating the fundamental physics of heat transfer (conduction, convection, radiation) and sound propagation (absorption, insulation, damping) to establish a clear mechanistic foundation. The article then systematically categorizes and analyzes traditional and emerging materials, including fibrous materials (mineral wool, bio-fibers), cellular materials (polyurethane, polystyrene, aerogels), and resonant structures, with a dedicated discussion on acoustic and thermal metamaterials. A significant focus is placed on sustainable and bio-based materials, nanomaterial-enhanced composites (e.g., aerogels, vacuum insulation panels), and smart/adaptive materials. The performance of these materials is critically evaluated based on key metrics such as thermal conductivity (λ), Sound Transmission Class (STC), and Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC). Furthermore, the review explores the synergistic design of multifunctional materials and systems that provide concurrent thermal and acoustic insulation, a key frontier in material science. A dedicated section on performance optimization and modeling discusses how computational tools, including multi-scale modeling and machine learning, are accelerating material discovery. Finally, we discuss current challenges, such as balancing performance with sustainability, cost, fire resistance, and durability, and offer perspectives on future research directions, including the role of AI-driven material design, circular economy principles, and advanced manufacturing.
References
[1]Schiavoni, S., D'Alessandro, F., Bianchi, F., & Asdrubali, F. (2016). Insulation materials for the building sector: A review and comparative analysis. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 62, 988 1011. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2016.05.045
[2]Koebel, M., Rigacci, A., & Achard, P. (2012). Aerogel-based thermal superinsulation: an overview. Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology, 63(3), 315 339. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-012-2792-9
[3]Jones, M., Mautner, A., Luenco, S., Bismarck, A., & John, S. (2020). Engineered mycelium composite construction materials from fungal biorefineries: A critical review. Materials & Design, 187, 108397. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2019.108397
[4]Cummer, S. A., Christensen, J., & Alù, A. (2016). Controlling sound with acoustic metamaterials. Nature Reviews Materials, 1(3), 16001. https://doi.org/10.1038/natrevmats.2016.1
[5]Lavoine, N., & Bergström, L. (2017). Nanocellulose-based foams and aerogels: processing, properties, and applications. Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 5(31), 16105 16117. https://doi.org/10.1039/C7TA02807E
[6]Asdrubali, F., D'Alessandro, F., & Schiavoni, S. (2015). A review of unconventional sustainable building insulation materials. Sustainable Materials and Technologies, 4, 1 17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.susmat.2015.05.002
[7]Baetens, R., Jelle, B. P., & Gustavsen, A. (2011). Aerogel insulation for building applications: A state-of-the-art review. Energy and Buildings, 43(4), 761 769. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2010.12.012
[8]Berardi, U., & Iannace, G. (2017). Predicting the sound absorption of natural materials: Best-fit inverse laws for the acoustic impedance and the propagation constant. Applied Acoustics, 115, 131 138. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apacoust.2016.08.012
[9]Wicklein, B., Kocjan, A., Salazar-Alvarez, G., Carosio, F., & Bergström, L. (2015). Thermally insulating and fire-retardant lightweight anisotropic foams based on nanocellulose and graphene oxide. Nature Nanotechnology, 10(3), 277 283. https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2014.248
[10]Papadopoulos, A. M. (2005). State of the art in thermal insulation materials and aims for future developments. Energy and Buildings, 37(1), 77 86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2004.05.006
[11]Alam, M., Singh, H., & Limbachiya, M. C. (2011). Vacuum insulation panels (VIPs) for building construction industry A review of the contemporary developments and future directions. Applied Energy, 88(11), 3592 3602. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2011.04.040
[12]Fricke, J., & Emmerling, A. (1992). Aerogels. Journal of the American Ceramic Society, 75(8), 2027 2036. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1151-2916.1992.tb04461.x
[13]Cuce, E., Cuce, P. M., Wood, C. J., & Riffat, S. B. (2014). Toward aerogel based thermal superinsulation in buildings: A comprehensive review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 34, 273 299. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2014.03.017
[14]Yang, H. S., Kim, D. J., & Kim, H. J. (2003). Rice straw wood particle composite for sound absorbing wooden construction materials. Bioresource Technology, 86(2), 117 121. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0960-8524(02)00163-3
[15]Li, T., Zhai, Y., He, S., Gan, W., Wei, Z., Heidarinejad, M., Dalgo, D., Mi, R., Zhao, X., Song, J., Dai, J., Chen, C., Aili, A., Vellore, A., Martini, A., Yang, R., Srebric, J., Yin, X., & Hu, L. (2019). A radiative cooling structural material. Science, 364(6442), 760 763. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aau9101
[16]Aegerter, M. A., Leventis, N., & Koebel, M. M. (Eds.). (2011). Aerogels handbook. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-7589-8
[17]Bakatovich, A., & Gaspar, F. (2019). Composite material for thermal insulation based on moss raw material. Construction and Building Materials, 228, 116699. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2019.116699
[18]Cao, L., Fu, Q., Si, Y., Yu, J., & Ding, B. (2018). Porous materials for sound absorption. Composites Communications, 10, 25 35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coco.2018.05.001
[19]Korjenic, A., Petránek, V., Zach, J., & Hroudová, J. (2011). Development and performance evaluation of natural thermal-insulation materials composed of renewable resources. Energy and Buildings, 43(9), 2518 2523. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2011.06.012
[20]Parale, V. G., Lee, K.-Y., & Park, H.-H. (2017). Flexible and transparent silica aerogels: An overview. Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society, 54(3), 184 199. https://doi.org/10.4191/kcers.2017.54.3.12
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Johnny Doe (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
