Undergraduate Research: Experimental Analysis on the Mechanical Behavior of Silk-Coated Clarinet Reeds

Cole_ME94_Poster.pdf

Highlights

8% silk was used to treat clarinet reeds, before airdrying overnight
Both silk and control reeds were subjected to instron and vibrometer tests
Results show no statistically significant difference in stiffness and natural frequency of the reeds

Instron Test

A cantilever style test was designed with a custom setup

Vibrometer Test

A custom setup held the reed using a clarinet mouthpiece.

Instron Results

Silk treated reeds showed a slight increase in stiffness compared to control reeds
Stiffness was roughly identical in the 0 to 0.5 mm displacement, the region the reeds normally vibrate
No statistically significant difference in stiffness between treated and untreated reeds

Example Vibration Response

Power Spectrum of Control vs Silk

Vibration Results

Silk-treated reeds had a mean frequency of roughly 2270 Hz, while the control reeds had a mean frequency of 2290 Hz.
Histogram of control reed sample responses showed a bimodal distribution, while silk coated reeds showed a unimodal distribution.
No statistically significant difference in natural frequency between treated and untreated reeds.

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