Windmill Palm Waste Fiber Used as a Sustainable Nonwoven Mat with Acoustic Properties

Although windmill palm fiber is an abundant cellulose resource, it has not been efficiently used owing to the lack of the basic knowledge of its structure and properties. In this study, the surface morphology of windmill palm fiber was modified using acetyl chloride and acetic anhydride to generate hydrophobic nonwoven mats with optimal acoustic properties. A scanning electron microscope, a specific surface porosimeter, an infrared spectrum, and a standing wave tube were used to examine the fiber's micromorphology, pore structure, chemical composition, and sound absorption performance. Acetylation treatment damages the compact structure of the cell wall, resulting in the formation of nanoscale pores. Acetyl chloride changes the average pore diameter of fibers by 17 nm. When the polyvinyl alcohol content was 0.5 % and the surface density of mat was 0.140 g/cm(2), the sound absorption coefficient for the acetic anhydride-modified fiber was 0.66, which is 65 % greater than that of the untreated windmill palm fiber nonwoven mat. The windmill palm fiber has good potential for application in wallpaper and filling materials used at home.