Pulp fibre foams: Morphology and mechanical performance
Journal article, 2025

Cellulose (pulp) fibre foams serve as bio-based alternative to fossil-based cellular lightweight materials. The mechanical properties of cellulose fibre foams are inferior compared with traditional polymer foams and available information is often limited to compression properties. We present a comprehensive analysis of cellulose fibre foams with densities ranging from 60 to 130 kg/m3, examining their compression, tensile, flexural, and shear properties. Key findings include a high mean zenithal fibre angle which decreases with increasing density, as well as a high strain rate amplification (SRA) in compressive strength, which also decreases with increasing density. With respect to formulation, the addition of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) enhanced fibre dispersion, bubble homogeneity of the wet foam, and dimensional stability of the end-product. These results provide a foundation for numerical models and advance the understanding of cellulose pulp fibre foams, highlighting their potential for certain applications.

Fibre foams

Mechanical properties

Morphology

Cellulose

Production

Author

Markus Wagner

Technische Universität Graz

Veronika Biegler

University of Vienna

Sebastian Wurm

Technische Universität Graz

Georg Baumann

Technische Universität Graz

Tiina Nypelö

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Aalto University

A. Bismarck

Imperial College London

University of Vienna

Florian Feist

Technische Universität Graz

Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing

1359-835X (ISSN)

Vol. 188 108515

Upgrading of cellulose fibers into porous materials (BreadCell)

European Commission (EC) (EC/H2020/964430), 2021-04-01 -- 2025-03-31.

Subject Categories (SSIF 2011)

Polymer Chemistry

Paper, Pulp and Fiber Technology

Composite Science and Engineering

DOI

10.1016/j.compositesa.2024.108515

Related datasets

Data Micro CT and mechanical testing data from "Pulp fibre foams: Morphology and mechanical performance" [dataset]

DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.15017773

More information

Latest update

3/24/2025