A material has been produced that could suppress engine noise from aircrafts by up to as much as 80 per cent.

The material, which could also improve fuel efficiency in aircrafts in the future too, has been created by a team of researchers from the Materials and Structures Centre (MAST) at Bath University according to an article on The Engineer.

Weighing in at just 2.1kg per cubic metre, the team believe that the material could reduce engine noise by up to 16 decibels when placed within the nacelle of an aircraft.

It is an aerogel comprised of graphene oxide and a polymer, which is formed thanks to the addition of whipped air bubbles. The mixture is then freeze-casted, with the process of mixing these components together compared to that of baking a popular dessert.

“On a very basic level, the technique can be compared with whipping egg whites to create meringues — it’s solid but contains a lot of air, so there is no weight or efficiency penalty to achieve big improvements in comfort and noise,” said Professor Michele Meo, a research leader of the study.

Meo and the team are currently working to test the material with aerospace partners. Looking forward, they believe that the material will be available for use by the end of 2023 at the latest.

The methods on how to make this material has been published by the team in an article on Scientific Reports, which can be read by clicking here.