Innovative approaches for recycling office waste paper with potential for sound-absorbing wall panels

Abstract

This study addresses the dual challenges of waste management and noise pollution by developing an eco-friendly sound-absorbing material using crushed waste printed paper. The objective is to repurpose office waste paper into a sustainable sound absorption panel board, offering an alternative to traditional materials. The novelty of this research lies in the combination of crushed waste paper with varying air-back cavity depths to optimize sound absorption, particularly at lower frequencies. Samples of varying thicknesses (10-30 mm) were evaluated using the impedance tube method across 250-6400 Hz. The findings show that the sound absorption coefficient (SAC) and Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) increase with greater thickness and air-back cavities. The thickest sample achieved a peak NRC of 0.56. Statistical analysis (t-test) confirms a significant variation in the sound absorption coefficient with sample thickness and the presence of an air back cavity. These results suggest that crushed waste paper could be useful for sound-absorbing panel boards in wall, ceiling tiles, and acoustic panels. Its application may help reduce carbon dioxide emissions and promote environmental sustainability.