Design of a soundproof painting based on microcellulose for potential automotive applications

Sound pollution is a problem affecting our environment in different ways, and human health is why there is a need to prevent it, for example, in the automotive sector. Various materials are being designed to solve this. This work deals with developing a material to prevent sound pollution in a vehicle cabin without changing the capacity to hear the essential external alerts while driving. To reach it, microcellulose (MCC) particles are proposed to be incorporated in 0. 1, 1, 3, and 5 wt% into a commercial automotive paint based on acrylic through ultrasonic process dispersion and used as coating onto aluminum alloys typically employed for bodyworks. Humidity measurements, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, confocal laser scanning (CLSM), optical microscopy, and preliminary soundproof tests are discussed. The addition of 5 wt% MCC into the paint was found to be the optimal sample.