Effects of Wood Fiber Size on the Performance of Biodegradable Foam

Abstract

Biodegradable foam for cushion packing materials was prepared with wood fiber and starch through mold foaming. This study investigated the effect of wood fiber size and content on the mechanical properties of the foam. The results showed the size and content of the wood fiber bearing significant influences on the density, compressive strength, and tensile strength of the resultant foams. Lower size of wood fiber aided in better foaming, and a 40 wt% of 125–180 μm wood fiber yielded the best mechanical properties among the blends investigated. The behavior of the foaming agent was a function of the foaming temperature, and 150 °C was deemed as the optimum temperature for foaming. The compressive strength increased with an increase in wood fiber fraction, whereas the tensile strength decreased with increased wood fiber fraction. Overall, physical and mechanical properties of the biodegradable foams developed herein showed potential as cushion packing materials.