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Acoustic Absorption in 3D-Printed PLA Biocomposite Models: Influence of Grid, Trihexagonal, and Gyroid Infills and
Faouzia Tayari1, Regina Silva1, Tiago Brilhante2
1CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials, University of Aveiro, Aveiro 3810-193, Portugal.
ACS Applied Engineering Materials
|August 5, 2026
Summary
3D printed sustainable acoustic materials using polylactic acid (PLA) composites with biomass residues show enhanced sound absorption. Gyroid structures and coffee-based reinforcements significantly boost performance, offering eco-friendly noise control solutions.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Acoustics
- Sustainable Manufacturing
Background:
- Growing demand for eco-friendly acoustic materials in noise control and circular economy initiatives.
- Limitations of conventional manufacturing in optimizing sound absorption structures.
- Potential of additive manufacturing (3D printing) for creating complex geometries with tailored properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the acoustic performance of 3D printed polylactic acid (PLA) and its biomass-reinforced composites.
- To evaluate the impact of different infill architectures and relative densities on sound absorption.
- To assess the role of biofiller reinforcement in enhancing acoustic properties.
Main Methods:
- Additive manufacturing of cylindrical absorbers using PLA and PLA biocomposites with biomass residues.
- Systematic investigation of gyroid infill architectures at 10%, 20%, and 30% relative densities.
- Measurement of sound absorption coefficients using Microflown In-situ Impedance Gun (630-20,000 Hz) and application of the Johnson-Champoux-Allard (JCA) model.
Main Results:
- Gyroid infill structures significantly improved sound absorption, reaching ~0.9 at high frequencies for 30% infill PLA.
- PLA-coffee composites demonstrated superior performance, achieving absorption values near 1.0 at ~20,000 Hz.
- Biomass reinforcement, particularly with coffee residues, enhanced acoustic performance compared to cork-based and neat PLA.
Conclusions:
- Additive manufacturing enables precise control over internal structures for optimized acoustic materials.
- Infill architecture (gyroid) and biomass reinforcement are critical factors in tuning the sound absorption of PLA composites.
- PLA-coffee composites represent a promising sustainable solution for high-performance acoustic applications.
