High-impact polystyrene (HIPS) hybrid composites reinforced with glass fiber, alumina, and stainless-steel powder: Processing, morphology, acoustic performance, and dimensional stability

In this research work, we examine the sound absorption and dimensional stability of High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS)-based hybrid composites reinforced with Glass Fiber, Alumina, and Stainless-Steel Powder. Varying the reinforcement percentage (0–40), five composites (S1–S5) were made, and their density, resistance to air flow, thermal conductivity, and ability to absorb sound were tested. The prepared composite materials’ density went up from 1.063 g/cm 3 (S1) to 1.633 g/cm 3 (S5), and air flow resistance increased, which reveals their compactness. The sound absorption coefficient (SAC) shows improvement as the amount of reinforcement increases. At 2000 Hz, S5 shows the highest value, 0.592. Additionally, when the frequency for the S5 sample is changed, SAC is 0.936 at 5000 Hz, indicating that the sound quality is quite good. The composites also showed amazing resistance to moisture, water absorption, and swelling. The thickness initially peaked and subsequently dropped to 3.6% and 2.7% for S5 by Day 10, respectively. This trend shows that the reinforced composites are more stable in size, which supports the idea that polymer chains rearranged and moisture was released. S5 showed the least change. The hybrid composites that have been made are very useful in the construction and automotive industries, where they need to be able to withstand strong weather and noise.