Ammonium persulfate treatment on carbohydrate polymers and lignin of wood improved sound absorption capacity

The rational design of sound absorption boards made of wood materials is an exciting area of research. This article describes a simple and inexpensive method to increase the sound absorptions capacity of Malas hardwood (Homalium foetidum Roxb.) using ammonium persulfate treatment. The reaction parameters such as the concentration of ammonium persulfate and reaction time were optimized. The results of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, attenuated total reflectance–Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy demonstrated that ammonium persulfate could significantly affect carbohydrate polymers and lignin of wood by improving oxygen functionalities. The quantitative analysis of carbohydrate polymers (hemicellulose and cellulose) and lignin were evaluated. These changes in carbohydrate polymers and lignin enhanced the air permeability (83.6%) and average sound absorption coefficient at each frequency range 500–1000 Hz (2.6%), 1000–2000 Hz (4.9%), 2000–4000 Hz (17.4%), and overall 500˗6400 Hz (20.8%) compared to the control samples. These results could be beneficial for new research and wood-based sound absorption materials to regulate the acoustic environment in houses. •Ammonium persulfate changes carbohydrate polymers and lignin.•The modified biopolymers enhanced the porosity (1.2%) and gas permeability (83.6%).•The average sound absorption coefficient increases 20.8% at 5–6.4 kHz.•The ammonium persulfate method is facile and inexpensive.