Sound absorption properties of nanotube.


Has anybody in this group considered using fluffy nanotubes (like
fiberglass insulation material) for a sound absorption material. It
seems to me that the delocalized sp3 orbital electrons of the nanotube
would be capable of absorbing acoustic energy via an inelastic collision
with air molecules. These inelastic collisions would result in a phonon
traveling down the nanotube delocalized sp3 electrons where it could be
absorbed (turned into heat) by coupling the phonon energy into the
carbon nanotube matrix when the phonon hits the impedance mismatch at
the end of the tube. I have done a number of google searches for the
acoustic properties of nanotubes, but most of the hits I find are
related to optical or ultrasonic absorption of nanotubes. My particular
interest is looking at a better sound insulation material for business
aircraft.

I think the nanotubes should be better at creating an inelastic
collision with the air molecules than either an electrical insulating
material or a fine metal conductive mesh (like steel wool). In both
cases the exposed electrons are not able to move freely like the sp3
delocalized electrons of the nanotube. In the case of fluffy metal
materials the actual conduction electrons are in the d shell which is (I
believe) at a lower energy level than the exposed electrons per the
filling level of the electron shells.

Any thoughts about this?

.

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