Carbon fibers-lignocellulosic foam with excellent mechanical, flame retardant and antistatic characteristics

Petroleum-based plastic foam is the most widely used cushioning material in the packaging and transporting of electronic products. However, its non-degradability and difficulty in recycling lead to serious environment burdens as large quantities are piled up and incinerated after use. Lignocellulosic foam with its natural, biodegradable and recyclable attributes has been introduced as an alternative product for petroleum-based foam. However, low mechanical strength, high insulation, and flammability of lignocellulosic foam limit their application in electronic products. In this study, porous and low-density carbon fiber lignocellulosic foams (CNF-APP-CFs) were synthesized by a mixture of nanocellulose, ammonium polyphosphate, carbon fiber, and lignocellulosic compounds at different ratio. The resulting foams had excellent mechanical properties, flame retardancy, and antistatic strain behavior, with the most substantial improvements observed in the foam containing 7 % carbon fiber which increased mechanical properties by 81.6 % and enhanced flame retardancy by 13.09 %. This work provides a feasible solution to mitigate the environmental hazards of petroleum-based plastic foams.