Eastman Chemical’s new Treva engineering bioplastic (cellulose acetate propionate CAP) scored highly in an audio application dominated by PC. Data demonstrated that Treva cellulosic have superior damping characteristics than PC and listener were able to hear fine details better.
Acoustics product development firm DW Designs and Eastman Chemical molded and tested beryllium models in-ear monitor housings and the findings were presented at the annual Rocky Mountain International Audio Fest (CanJam), held in Denver October.
Eastman senior application development engineer John Quigley said:
“Eastman wished to understand how our polymers might improve acoustic performance in audio applications. We worked with DW Designs to test housings molded in an incumbent PC material, as well as Eastman’s copolyester and cellulosic resins.”
The collaborators tested each of the polymers for both cumulative spectral decay (CSD) and total harmonic distortion (THD). Data show the copolyester outperformed the PC, while the cellulosic offered superior results in terms of clean response and lower distortion. More specifically, the PC had the most peaks for resonance whereas the cellulosic had the lowest overall level of measured THD.
DW Designs’ principal Dan Wiggins said:
“Eastman polymers have shown, through my independent testing and experimentation, to provide measurable and audible improvements in many products that utilize plastics. Easy to mold, durable, incredibly high internal energy dissipation, and affordability make products like Tritan and Treva a no-brainer for many consumer audio products. They are now my ‘go-to’ recommendation for molded acoustic enclosures.”
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