Solution blow spinning of expanded polystyrene waste for acoustic nonwovens: Process optimization and sound absorption comparison with virgin polystyrene
JOURNAL OF ENGINEERED FIBERS AND FABRICS, cilt.21, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 21
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1177/15589250261470409
- Dergi Adı: JOURNAL OF ENGINEERED FIBERS AND FABRICS
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Compendex, INSPEC, Directory of Open Access Journals, Materials Science & Engineering Collection (ProQuest), Technology Collection (ProQuest)
- Bursa Uludağ Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
This study investigates the production of sound-absorbing nonwoven materials from waste expanded polystyrene (EPS) using the solution blow spinning technique as a sustainable approach to plastic waste utilization. Waste EPS boards were collected from various waste containers to represent real-world conditions, while virgin general-purpose polystyrene (GPPS) pellets were used for comparison. A Box-Behnken Design (BBD) was employed to investigate the effects of polymer concentration, working distance, and flow rate on the structural and acoustic properties of nonwovens and to determine the optimum processing conditions for maximum sound absorption. The results revealed that higher polymer concentration, shorter working distance, and lower flow rate enhanced sound absorption by promoting the formation of denser and thicker nonwoven structures. The BBD analysis identified a 20% polymer concentration, 50 cm working distance, and 6 ml/h flow rate as the optimal settings, which were experimentally validated by achieving the highest sound absorption performance under these conditions. Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) analysis revealed that GPPS has heavier and longer molecular chains and broader molecular weight distribution compared to EPS. These characteristics promoted the formation of thicker fibers in GPPS-based nonwovens, as confirmed by SEM analysis. While GPPS-based fibers were mostly around 1-1.5 & micro;m in diameter, EPS-based nonwovens mainly consisted of submicron fibers. EPS-based nonwovens, despite their lightweight and thinner web structure, exhibited similar acoustic performance to GPPS-based ones due to their ultrafine-fiber morphology. Moreover, the developed PS nonwovens achieved higher sound absorption coefficients than commercial glass wool and recycled polyester insulation felt. Overall, the results demonstrate the effectiveness of the solution blow spinning in converting waste EPS into high-performance acoustic materials, confirming the potential of waste EPS as a sustainable raw material. Additionally, GPPS remains a viable alternative when EPS is unavailable.