Effect of shear thickening fluid on the sound insulation properties of textiles

A shear thickening fluid (STF) was prepared from SiO ₂ /PEG200 by ball-milling and its effect on the sound insulation properties of textile materials investigated. The rheological properties of the STF were evaluated using a high-speed rotary rheometer and a field emission scanning electron microscope. Fabrics based on fibers of profiled cross-section were knitted on a computerized flat knitting machine, then dipped in the diluted STF and the microstructure and the sound insulating properties of the STF-treated fabrics were established using a two-channel acoustic analyzer. It was found that an increase in the SiO ₂ content of the STF decreased the critical shear rate, and the thickening effect of the STF system became effective once the SiO ₂ content reached 30 wt%. The sound insulation performance of the STF-treated fabrics was superior to that of the untreated fabrics, and their level of sound insulation level was particularly increased with increasing surface density.