POS9-0677
Thermally processable recycled paper foams using starch as a natural binder and water-blown matrix
Topic
S9. Polymer Technology for Sustainability
When and Where
Oct 1, 2026
08:30 - 09:30
Room 301 (Grand Ballroom)
Session Chairs
Jinkee HONG
Ki Su KIM
Presenter(s)
Dasom Son (Korea institute of industrial technology)
Co-Author(s)
Abstract
Paper-based molded foams have attracted increasing attention as sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based cushioning materials for distribution packaging. However, conventional paper molds are generally produced through water-based forming and drying processes, which can limit processing efficiency, structural control, and the formation of porous architectures in the thickness direction. In this study, thermally processable paper foams were fabricated using recycled paper as the main component and corn starch as a natural binder and water-blown foaming matrix. Recycled paper, corn starch, water, glycerol, and magnesium stearate were mixed to prepare pre-foams, followed by compression foaming under high-temperature and high-pressure conditions. A starch-only foam and starch/paper composite foams with different water contents were compared to examine the role of the paper fiber network in foam formation and deformation behavior. The starch-only foam exhibited brittle fracture under bending deformation, whereas the paper-containing foam accommodated a certain degree of flexural deformation without immediate crack formation. This behavior indicates that the recycled paper fiber network acted as a structural scaffold that distributed the applied load and delayed crack propagation within the foamed matrix. Furthermore, the paper fiber network supported the starch-based foaming matrix under increased water loading, suppressing structural collapse during water-driven expansion and enabling the formation of a more stable porous structure. These results demonstrate that recycled paper and starch can be combined to produce thermally processable, fully bio-based paper foams without synthetic polymeric reinforcements, providing a promising material platform for sustainable molded packaging applications.
