Microbially degradable phenolic foams based on depolymerized Kraft lignin for hydrophilic applications

Hydrophilic phenol–formaldehyde (PF) foams, widely used in floral and hydroponic applications, are produced using phenol typically derived from non-renewable petroleum-based resources. This study examines the potential of depolymerized Kraft lignin (DKL) as a sustainable substitute for phenol in the synthesis of hydrophilic biobased foams. At 50 % DKL substitution, the foams demonstrated excellent water absorption capacities (up to 2557 %), relatively low densities (∼62 kg/m³), and nearly 100 % open-cell content. Its compressive strength (20.64 kPa at 10 % deformation) is comparable to commercially available floral and hydroponic foams. Additionally, foams with 10 % phenol substitution by DKL exhibited better thermal stability compared to neat phenolic foams. After 15 days of incubation with Laccase-producing bacterium Bacillus sp., 30 % and 50 % DKL foams exhibited the highest weight loss of 39.03 % and 38.9 %, respectively. Qualitative degree of biodegradation was further assessed using scanning electron microscopy and FT-IR analysis of the degraded samples. © 2025 Elsevier Ltd