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Scientists developing soundproof wallpaper inspired by moth wings

The groundbreaking design has been inspired by scales on moths wings that absorb loud noises.

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Stressful discontent brunet male comes to very loud noisy party, plugs ears as hears hard rock music, hates this genre, dressed in formal clothes, isolated over pink background. Reaction concept
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By Mark Waghorn via SWNS

Riotous parties that don't upset the neighbors may be on the horizon... thanks to soundproof wallpaper.

The groundbreaking design has been inspired by scales on moths wings that absorb loud noises.

They protect against bats' echolocation calls and could end neighborly rows over keeping people awake all night.

Moths are the flying mammals favorite snack. They have been involved in an acoustic arms race with their predators for 65 million years.

The University of Bristol team found the phenomenon holds the key to better sound-absorbing panels. It will revolutionize noise-canceling technology, they say.

Co-author Professor Marc Holderied explained: "This research has shown one day it will be possible to adorn the walls of your house with ultrathin sound absorbing wallpaper, using a design that copies the mechanisms that gives moths stealth acoustic camouflage.

"What we needed to know first, was how well these moth scales would perform if they were in front of an acoustically highly reflective surface, such as a wall.

"We also needed to find out how the mechanisms of absorption might change when the scales were interacting with this surface."

Noise pollution is the second largest environmental cause of health problems, just after the impact of air quality.

It is linked to hearing loss, high blood pressure, heart disease, sleep disturbances and stress.

In the study, Holderied and colleagues placed small sections of moth wings on an aluminium disc.

Then they systematically tested how orientation with respect to incoming noises and removal of scale layers affected absorption.

Remarkably, the little flappers proved to be excellent sound barriers. They absorbed up to 87 percent of the energy - even when on top of a hard acoustical material.

The effect is also broadband and omnidirectional - covering a wide range of frequencies from different directions.

Lead author Dr. Thomas Neil said: "What is even more impressive is the wings are doing this whilst being incredibly thin, with the scale layer being only 1/50th of the thickness of the wavelength of the sound they are absorbing.

"This extraordinary performance qualifies the moth wing as a natural occurring acoustic absorbing metasurface.

"It has unique properties and capabilities, that are not possible to create using conventional materials."

The potential to create ultrathin sound-absorbing panels has huge implications in building acoustics.

As cities get louder, the need for efficient non-intrusive sound mitigation solutions grows.

Equally, these lightweight sound-absorbing panels could have huge impacts on the travel industry.

Any weight saving in planes, cars and trains would increase efficiency in these modes of transport - reducing fuel use and CO2 emissions.

The biologists plan to replicate the findings in Proceedings of the Royal Society A by building prototypes based on the humble insect's wings.

The absorption they have characterized so far is in the ultrasound frequency range - above that which humans can hear.

The next challenge is to design a structure that will work at lower frequencies whilst retaining the same ultrathin architecture employed by the moth.

Holderied added: "Moths are going to inspire the next generation of sound absorbing materials."

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