Microcellular polypropylene (PP)/wood fiber composite foams were fabricated via batch foaming assisted by supercritical CO2 (scCO2). Effects of wood fibers on rheology, crystallization, and foaming behaviors of PP were comprehensively investigated. The obtained results showed that the incorporation of wood fibers increased the complex viscosity and the storage modulus of the PP matrix. Jeziorny’s model for non-isothermal crystallization kinetics indicated that wood fibers did not change the crystal growth. However, the crystallization rate of the PP matrix was decreased to a certain extent with increasing wood fiber loadings. The wood fiber exerts a noticeable role in improving the cell density and reducing the cell size, despite decreasing the expansion ratio. Interestingly, a “small-sized cells to large-sized cells” gradient cell structure was found around the wood fibers, implying cell nucleation was induced at the interface between wood fiber and PP matrix. When wood fiber loadings were specifically increased, a desirable microcellular structure was obtained. However, further increasing the wood fiber loadings deteriorated the cell structure. Moreover, the crystallinity of the composite foams initially decreased and then slightly increased with increasing wood fiber loadings, while the crystal size decreased.

Green and renewable foaming poly(lactic acid) (PLA) represents one of the promising developments in PLA materials. This study is the first to use the lignin graft PLA copolymer (LG‐g‐PLA) to improve the foamability of PLA as a biobased nucleating agent. This agent was synthesized via ring‐opening polymerization of lignin and lactide. The effects of LG‐g‐PLA on cell nucleation induced by the crystallization, rheological behavior, and foamability of PLA were evaluated. Results indicated that LG‐g‐PLA can improve the crystallization rate and crystallinity of PLA, and play a significant nucleation role in the microcellular foam processing of PLA. LG‐g‐PLA improved the foam morphology of PLA, obtaining a reduced and uniform cell size as well as increased expansion ratio and cell density. With the addition of 3 wt% LG‐g‐PLA content, the PLA/LG‐g‐PLA foams increased the compressive strength 1.6 times than that of neat PLA foams. The improved foaming properties of PLA via a biobased nucleating agent show potential for the production and application of green biodegradable foams.