Material That Mimics Owl Wings Could Make Planes Quieter

July 23, 2015

A newly designed material that mimics the wing structure of owls could help make wind turbines, computer fans, and planes much quieter. Early wind tunnel tests of the coating have shown a substantial reduction in noise without any noticeable effect on aerodynamics.

Flight feathers on an owl’s wing have a downy covering that resembles a forest canopy when viewed from above. In addition to this fluffy canopy, owl wings also have a flexible comb of evenly spaced bristles along their leading edge, and a porous and elastic fringe on the trailing edge. The structure of an owl’s wing serves to reduce noise by smoothing the passage of air as it passes over the wing – scattering the sound so their prey can’t hear them coming.

In order to replicate the structure, researchers covered a blade with material made of 3D-printed plastic that reduced the noise generated by a wind turbine blade by 10 dB without any appreciable impact on aerodynamics.

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