Effects of Freeze-Drying Processes on the Acoustic Absorption Performance of Sustainable Cellulose Nanocrystal Aerogels

Cellulose aerogels have great prospects for noise reduction applications due to their sustainable value and superior 3D interconnected porous structures. The drying principle is a crucial factor in the preparation process for developing high-performance aerogels, particularly with respect to achieving high acoustic absorption properties. In this study, multifunctional cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) aerogels were conveniently prepared using two distinct freeze-drying principles: refrigerator conventional freezing (RCF) and liquid nitrogen unidirectional freezing (LnUF). The results indicate that the rapid RCF process resulted in a denser CNC aerogel structure with disordered larger pores, causing a stronger compressive performance (Young’s modulus of 40 kPa). On the contrary, the LnUF process constructed ordered structures of CNC aerogels with a lower bulk density (0.03 g/cm³) and smaller apertures, resulting in better thermal stability, higher diffuse reflection across visible light, and especially increased acoustic absorption performance at low–mid frequencies (600–3000 Hz). Moreover, the dissipation mechanism of sound energy in the fabricated CNC aerogels is predicted by a designed porous media model. This work not only paves the way for optimizing the performance of aerogels through structure control, but also provides a new perspective for developing sustainable and efficient acoustic absorptive materials for a wide range of applications.