This review explores various types of acoustic materials that are modified to enhance their sound absorption properties. Effective noise control relies on materials with high sound absorption coefficients (SAC) across a wide frequency range. Porous materials, such as foams and fibrous structures, are commonly used for mid to high-frequency absorption, while resonator-based materials, including Helmholtz resonators and micro-perforated panels, target low-frequency sounds. Natural fibres offer a sustainable alternative, and composite materials combine different mechanisms for broader spectral absorption. To further improve performance, materials can be modified physically (e.g., structural alterations), chemically (e.g., treatments or coatings), or through advanced techniques such as nanotechnology and additive manufacturing. Mathematical models help analyse their acoustic behaviour, guiding material optimization. This review highlights the ongoing advancements in acoustic materials, emphasizing the need for innovative modifications to meet modern noise control challenges in architectural, industrial, and automotive applications.
AuriemmaFRammalHLavrentjevJ. Extended investigations on micro-grooved elements - a novel solution for noise control. SAE Int J Mater Manf2013; 07: 184–194.
2.
DzhambovATilovBMarkevychI, et al.Residential road traffic noise and general mental health in youth: the role of noise annoyance, neighborhood restorative quality, physical activity, and social cohesion as potential mediators. Environ Int2017; 109: 1–9.
3.
LachenmayrWMeyer-KahlenNColella GomesO, et al.Chamber music hall acoustics: measurements and perceptual differences. J Acoust Soc Am2023; 154: 388–400.
4.
EinickeKKennedyJ. Predicting airport noise impact to 2040: traffic growth and technology uptake. Appl Acoust2025; 227: 110229.
5.
KongWFuTRabczukT. Improvement of broadband low-frequency sound absorption and energy absorbing of arched curve Helmholtz resonator with negative Poisson’s ratio. Appl Acoust2024; 221: 110011.
6.
SunYHuaB. Influence of multiple factors on underwater semi-active sound absorption of 2-1-3 piezoelectric composite and root cause analysis. Acoust Phys2023; 69: 798–814.
7.
KazakovLI. On A sound-absorbing coating in the form of a layer of a viscous liquid with bubbles. Acoust Phys2024; 70: 39–50.
8.
FanWChengZXuS, et al.A novel ventilated metamaterial barrier (VMB) for traffic noise reduction. J Vib Eng Technol2023; 12: 4495–4510.
9.
KarabutovAAPodymovaNB. Influence of the porosity on the dispersion of the phase velocity of longitudinal acoustic waves in isotropic metal-matrix composites. Acoust Phys2017; 63: 288–296.
10.
ManeMVSonawwanayPDSolankiM, et al.A comprehensive review on advancements in noise reduction for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). J Vib Eng Technol2024; 12: 1375–1397.
11.
MeiJMaGYangM, et al.Dark acoustic metamaterials as super absorbers for low-frequency sound. Nat Commun2012; 3: 756.
12.
MaGYangMYangZ, et al.Low-frequency narrow-band acoustic filter with large orifice. Appl Phys Lett2013; 103: 011903.
13.
KomkinAIBykovAIKarnaukhovaLS. Optimization of dissipative mufflers. Acoust Phys2024; 70: 570–577.
14.
AssouarBLiangBWuY, et al.Acoustic metasurfaces. Nat Rev Mater2018; 3: 460–472.
15.
Groby CLJPBrouardBDazelO, et al.Enhanching the absorption properties of acoustic porous plates by periodically embedding Helmholtz resonators. Acoustical Society of America2014; 137: 273–280.
16.
AgarwallaDKMohantyAR. Broadband sound absorption technique using micro-perforated panel absorber with perforated extended panel. J Vib Eng Technol2024; 12: 495–511.
17.
LalyZAtallaNMesliouiS-A, et al.Sensitivity analysis of micro-perforated panel absorber models at high sound pressure levels. Appl Acoust2019; 156: 7–20.
18.
YangMShengP. Sound absorption structures: from porous media to Acoustic metamaterials. Annu Rev Mater Res2017; 47: 83–114.
19.
LiXYuXChuaJW, et al.Microlattice metamaterials with simultaneous superior acoustic and mechanical energy absorption. Small2021; 17: 2100336.
20.
JiangXZhaoJLiuS-L, et al.Broadband and stable acoustic vortex emitter with multi-arm coiling slits. Appl Phys Lett2016; 108: 203501.
21.
GazzolaCCaverniSCoriglianoA. From mechanics to acoustics: critical assessment of a robust metamaterial for acoustic insulation application. Appl Acoust2021; 183: 108311.
22.
ChenSJiangYChenJ, et al.The effects of various additive components on the sound absorption performances of polyurethane foams. Adv Mater Sci Eng2015; 2015: 1–9.
23.
ZhouY. Visco-thermal effects on anisotropic and isotropic labyrinthine Acoustic metamaterials in the Cascade. J Vib Eng Technol2024; 12: 223–232.
24.
KalauniKPawarSJ. An experimental investigation and theoretical modelling for sound absorption performance of Grewia optiva fiber reinforced composite. Fibers Polym2023; 24: 1821–1833.
25.
BujoreanuCNedeffFBencheaM, et al.Experimental and theoretical considerations on sound absorption performance of waste materials including the effect of backing plates. Appl Acoust2017; 119: 88–93.
26.
KinnaneOReillyAGrimesJ, et al.Acoustic absorption of hemp-lime construction. Constr Build Mater2016; 122: 674–682.
27.
BerardiUIannaceG. Predicting the sound absorption of natural materials: best-fit inverse laws for the acoustic impedance and the propagation constant. Appl Acoust2017; 115: 131–138.
28.
HiremathNKumarVMotahariN, et al.An overview of acoustic impedance measurement techniques and future prospects. Metro2021; 1: 17–38.
29.
YangTXiongXVenkataramanM, et al.Investigation on sound absorption properties of aerogel/polymer nonwovens. J Text Inst2018; 110: 196–201.
30.
RoutIMahapatraTRMishraP, et al.Free vibration and acoustic responses of partially biodegradable hybrid composites: numerical analysis and experimental validation. J Vib Eng Technol2024; 12: 6321–6340.
31.
PutraAIsmailAYAyobMR. Sound transmission loss of a double-leaf partition with micro-perforated plate insertion under diffuse field incidence. Int J Automot Mech Eng2013; 7: 1086–1095.
32.
WongKAhsanQPutraA, et al.Acoustic benefits of ecofriendly spent tea leaves filled porous material. Key Eng Mater2017; 739: 125–134.
33.
BhingareNHPrakashSJattiVS. A review on natural and waste material composite as acoustic material. Polym Test2019; 80: 106142.
ZaitsevBDBorodinaIATeplykhAA, et al.Determination of the Acoustic wave velocity and attenuation in liquids with different Acoustic impedances using an Acoustic interferometer. Acoust Phys2023; 69: 503–509.
36.
PalchikovskiyVV. Modification of Dean’s method for determining impedance with an inhomogeneous sound field in a resonator. Acoust Phys2024; 70: 733–744.
37.
GrobyJPHuangWLardeauA, et al.The use of slow waves to design simple sound absorbing materials. J Appl Phys2015; 117: 124903.
38.
TangXYanX. Acoustic energy absorption properties of fibrous materials: a review. Compos Appl Sci Manuf2017; 101: 360–380.
39.
TabanEKhavaninAFaridanM, et al.Comparison of acoustic absorption characteristics of coir and date palm fibers: experimental and analytical study of green composites. Int J Environ Sci Technol2019; 17: 39–48.
40.
LecceseFRoccaMSalvadoriG. Fast estimation of speech transmission index using the reverberation time: comparison between predictive equations for educational rooms of different sizes. Appl Acoust2018; 140: 143–149.
41.
PrawdaK. Room reverberation prediction and synthesis. 2022.
42.
SakamotoNOtsuruTTomikuR, et al.Reproducibility of sound absorption and surface impedance of materials measured in a reverberation room using ensemble averaging technique with a pressure-velocity sensor and improved calibration. Appl Acoust2018; 142: 87–94.
43.
PaulDSchomerGWSJr. Electroacoustics. Radio, Electronics, Computer, and Communications2002; 40: 1–28.
44.
Macho-StadlerEElejalde-GarcíaMJ. Experiments with Kundt’s tube. J Phys Conf2019; 1287: 012022.
45.
NijsLJansensGVermeirG, et al.Absorbing surfaces in ray-tracing programs for coupled spaces. Appl Acoust2002; 63: 611–626.
46.
ZhangDTenpierikMBluyssenPM. Individual control as a new way to improve classroom acoustics: a simulation-based study. Appl Acoust2021; 179: 108066.
47.
JangHHopkinsC. Prediction of sound transmission in long spaces using ray tracing and experimental statistical energy analysis. Appl Acoust2018; 130: 15–33.
48.
AutioHVardaxisN-GBard HagbergD. An iterative ray tracing algorithm to increase simulation speed while maintaining overall precision. Acoustics2023; 5: 320–342.
49.
MartellottaFD'OrazioDDe CarolisD, et al.Acoustic comfort in primary- and nursery-school canteens: from measurements to recommendations. Appl Acoust2025; 228: 110324.
50.
CaoLFuQSiY, et al.Porous materials for sound absorption. Compos Commun2018; 10: 25–35.
51.
ZhangDSuXSunY, et al.Mechanism analysis and experiment study for wire mesh-assisted ventilated acoustic metamaterials based on the acoustic analytical model and numerical acoustic-flow coupling model. J Vib Eng Technol2024; 12: 6649–6663.
GuoWMinH. A compound micro-perforated panel sound absorber with partitioned cavities of different depths. Energy Proc2015; 78: 1617–1622.
55.
BerardiUIannaceG. Acoustic characterization of natural fibers for sound absorption applications. Build Environ2015; 94: 840–852.
56.
XinFMaXLiuX, et al.A multiscale theoretical approach for the sound absorption of slit-perforated double porosity materials. Compos Struct2019; 223: 110919.
57.
NegroFCremoniniCFringuellinoM, et al.An innovative composite plywood for the acoustic improvement of small closed spaces. Holzforschung2017; 71: 521–526.
58.
PakdelEKashiSBaumT, et al.Carbon fibre waste recycling into hybrid nonwovens for electromagnetic interference shielding and sound absorption. J Clean Prod2021; 315: 128196.
59.
PutraAOrKHSelamatMZ, et al.Sound absorption of extracted pineapple-leaf fibres. Appl Acoust2018; 136: 9–15.
60.
LyuLLuJGuoJ, et al.Sound absorption properties of multi-layer structural composite materials based on waste corn husk fibers. J Eng Fiber Fabr2020; 15: 1–8.
61.
BardakhanovSPLeeCMGoverdovskiyVN, et al.Hybrid sound-absorbing foam materials with nanostructured grit-impregnated pores. Appl Acoust2018; 139: 69–74.
62.
WangYZhangCRenL, et al.Sound absorption of a new bionic multi-layer absorber. Compos Struct2014; 108: 400–408.
63.
Veronika GumanováLSDzuroTBadidaM, et al.Experimental survey of sound absorption perforance of natural fibers in comparison with conventional insulating materials. Sustainability2022; 14: 4258.
64.
TufailHHJMishraRKhanMQ, et al.Factors affecting acoustic properties of natural-fiber-based materials and composites: a review. Textiles2021; 1: 55–85.
65.
SilvaTTDSilveiraPRibeiroMP, et al.Thermal and chemical characterization of Kenaf fiber (Hibiscus cannabinus) reinforced epoxy matrix composites. Polymers2021; 13: 2016.
66.
LiXTabilLGPanigrahiS. Chemical treatments of natural fiber for use in natural fiber-reinforced composites: a review. J Polym Environ2007; 15: 25–33.
67.
FlossSCzwielongFBeckerS, et al.Micro-perforated panels for noise reduction. Elektrotech Inftech2021; 138: 171–178.
68.
ChenYParkYH. A Helmholtz resonator on elastic foundation for measurement of the elastic coefficient of human skin. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater2020; 101: 103417.
69.
KanevNG. Maximum sound absorption by a helmholtz resonator in a room at low frequencies. Acoust Phys2019; 64: 774–777.
70.
KomkinAIMironovMABykovAI. Sound absorption by a Helmholtz resonator. Acoust Phys2017; 63: 385–392.
71.
DograSGuptaA. Design, manufacturing, and acoustical analysis of a helmholtz resonator-based metamaterial plate. Acoustics2021; 3: 630–641.
72.
Jean-Fran¸coisMJ-JMMaurelA. Influence of the neck shape for Helmholtz resonators. J Acoust Soc Am2017; 142: 3703.
73.
WangWZhouYLiY, et al.Aerogels-filled Helmholtz resonators for enhanced low-frequency sound absorption. J Supercrit Fluids2019; 150: 103–111.
74.
CaiCMakC-MShiX. An extended neck versus a spiral neck of the Helmholtz resonator. Appl Acoust2017; 115: 74–80.
75.
CaiCMakCM. Noise attenuation capacity of a Helmholtz resonator. Adv Eng Software2018; 116: 60–66.
76.
AchilleosVRichouxOTheocharisG. Coherent perfect absorption induced by the nonlinearity of a Helmholtz resonator. J Acoust Soc Am2016; 140: EL94.
77.
PalmaGMaoHBurghignoliL, et al.Acoustic metamaterials in aeronautics. Appl Sci2018; 8: 971.
78.
GrigorievaNSLegushaFFSafronovKS. Scattering of a plane sound wave by a spherical interface of two media with sound absorption in the acoustic boundary layer. Acoust Phys2023; 69: 325–329.
79.
Asadchy MaVSTcvetkovaSND´ıaz-RubioA, et al.Perfect control of reflection and refraction using spatially disperse metasurfaces. Phys Rev B2016; 94: 075142.
80.
LiuDHaoLZhuW, et al.Recent progress in resonant acoustic metasurfaces. Materials2023; 16: 7044–11/14.
81.
LiYLiangBGuZM, et al.Reflected wavefront manipulation based on ultrathin planar acoustic metasurfaces. Sci Rep2013; 3: 2546.
82.
LiYAssouarBM. Acoustic metasurface-based perfect absorber with deep subwavelength thickness. Appl Phys Lett2016; 108: 063502.
83.
ZhuX-FLauS-KLuZ, et al.Broadband low-frequency sound absorption by periodic metamaterial resonators embedded in a porous layer. J Sound Vib2019; 461: 114922.
84.
MaGYangMXiaoS, et al.Acoustic metasurface with hybrid resonances. Nat Mater2014; 13: 873–878.
85.
TianY-ZWangY-FLaudeV, et al.Generalized acoustic impedance metasurface. Commun Phys2024; 7: 34.
86.
LiangBChengJ-CQiuC-W. Wavefront manipulation by acoustic metasurfaces: from physics and applications. Nanophotonics2018; 7: 1191–1205.
87.
PengLGZhangGCYuXG, et al.Preparation and low frequency sound absorption properties of silicate composite material. Adv Mat Res2012; 482-484: 1338–1342.
88.
MohammadiMTabanETanWH, et al.Recent progress in natural fiber reinforced composite as sound absorber material. J Build Eng2024; 84: 108514.
89.
PrabhakaranSKrishnarajVShankarK, et al.Experimental investigation on impact, sound, and vibration response of natural-based composite sandwich made of flax and agglomerated cork. J Compos Mater2019; 54: 669–680.
90.
AgarwallaDKMohantyAR. Low-frequency wideband sound absorption properties of composite layer micro-perforated panel absorber. J Vib Eng Technol2024; 12: 6251–6271.
91.
BeheshtiMHKhavaninAJafarizavehM, et al.A novel acoustic micro-perforated panel (MPP) based on sugarcane fibers and bagasse. J Mater Sci Mater Electron2024; 19: 35.
92.
CoboPde la ColinaCRoibás-MillánE, et al.A wideband triple-layer microperforated panel sound absorber. Compos Struct2019; 226: 111226.
93.
LeãoSGMonteiroECPaixãoNMM, et al.An effective noise attenuation system for mid-range frequency. Journal of Vibration Engineering & Technologies2023; 12: 3231–3241.
94.
LiuXYuCXinF. Gradually perforated porous materials backed with Helmholtz resonant cavity for broadband low-frequency sound absorption. Compos Struct2021; 263: 113647.
95.
ZhangXQuZWangH. Engineering acoustic metamaterials for sound absorption: from uniform to gradient structures. iScience2020; 23: 101110.
ZhaoX-DYuY-JWuY-J. Improving low-frequency sound absorption of micro-perforated panel absorbers by using mechanical impedance plate combined with Helmholtz resonators. Appl Acoust2016; 114: 92–98.
98.
LiXLiuBChangD. An acoustic impedance structure consisting of perforated panel resonator and porous material for low-to-mid frequency sound absorption. Appl Acoust2021; 180: 108069.
99.
YeangWYHalimDYiX, et al.A compound microperforated panel backed by a panel-type resonator with a Helmholtz neck and multi-frequency resonators to improve bandwidth and low frequency sound absorption. Appl Acoust2024; 221: 110030.
100.
CaiXGuoQHuG, et al.Ultrathin low-frequency sound absorbing panels based on coplanar spiral tubes or coplanar Helmholtz resonators. Appl Phys Lett2014; 105: 121901.
101.
WangXZhouYSangJ, et al.A generalized model for space-coiling resonators. Appl Acoust2020; 158: 107045.
102.
Dong YangXWZhuM. Impact of neck material on the sound absorption performance of helmontz resonator. J Sound Vib2014; 333: 6843–6857.
103.
ZhaoHLuZGuanY, et al.Effect of extended necks on transmission loss performances of Helmholtz resonators in presence of a grazing flow. Aero Sci Technol2018; 77: 228–234.
104.
LiXSWangYFChenAL, et al.Modulation of out-of-plane reflected waves by using acoustic metasurfaces with tapered corrugated holes. Sci Rep2019; 9: 15856.
105.
ChenYLeeBParkY-H. A helmholtz resonator with spiral neck for analyte concentration measurement in low frequency range. Appl Sci2020; 10: 3676.
Ehsan SamaeiSBerardiUTabanE, et al.Natural fibro-granular composite as a novel sustainable sound-absorbing material. Appl Acoust2021; 181: 108157.
108.
ChenYYuanFSuQ, et al.A novel sound absorbing material comprising discarded luffa scraps and polyester fibers. J Clean Prod2020; 245: 118917.
109.
XieSYangSYangC, et al.Sound absorption performance of a filled honeycomb composite structure. Appl Acoust2020; 162: 107202.
110.
OlcayHKocakED. Rice plant waste reinforced polyurethane composites for use as the acoustic absorption material. Appl Acoust2021; 173: 107733.
111.
MaP-SKimH-SLeeS-H, et al.Improvement of the sound transmission loss of a finite plate by a parallel arrangement of a slit resonator. Appl Acoust2022; 199: 109013.
112.
ChengBZhangJLiuY, et al.Theoretical and experimental investigation on the sound absorption performance of ultra-thin curled acoustic metasurface. J Low Freq Noise Vib Act Control2024; 43: 1205–1222.
113.
XuJChenC. Low-frequency attenuation signal absorption performance of thin-film acoustic metamaterials. Acta Acustica2024; 8: 80.
114.
KimJ-YHongS-YSongJ-H, et al.Target strength analysis using reflection coefficient of a submarine with low-frequency anechoic coatings. Proc IME M J Eng Marit Environ2024; 238: 792–808.
115.
TangYWangXMiaoX, et al.Optimum design of acoustic stealth shape of underwater vehicle model with conning tower. Front Phys2023; 11: 1105787.
116.
LiBPengZWenH, et al.Research on the optimization design of acoustic stealth shape of the underwater vehicle head. Acoust Aust2019; 48: 39–47.
117.
BhartiRMursaleenMDeyA. Optimizing stealth thin films: nanoindentation and nanoscratch testing for enhanced mechanical properties. Proc Inst Mech Eng Part E J Process Mech Eng2025; 0: 09544089251322659.
