Effects of Carbon Powder Content on the Performance of Lignocellulose-Based Liquid Oxygen Fracturing Agents

Liquid oxygen (LOX) fracturing agents face critical engineering challenges regarding rapid LOX volatilization and high sensitivity to electrostatic discharge and mechanical stimuli. To address these issues, a wood fiber/carbon powder porous composite absorbent was developed using polyurethane foam as a supporting framework. The influence of carbon powder content on desorption kinetics, operational safety, and blasting performance was systematically investigated. Results indicated that LOX retention was governed by pore filling, capillary retention, and mass-transfer resistance within mesoporous/macroporous and interparticle voids, while the conductive network introduced by carbon powder suppressed localized hot spot formation. At an optimal wood fiber-to-carbon powder mass ratio of 1:4, physical retention capacity significantly improved, with the desorption rate constant decreasing by 76.4% relative to pure wood fiber. Regarding safety, the composite’s ignition temperature increased by 34.1°C, impact ignition probability reduced from 96% to 80%, and dynamic electrostatic charge accumulation substantially decreased. Moreover, the recorded time to peak temperature decreased by approximately 69.0%, while lead-block compression and crater volume increased by 5.3% and 16.7%, respectively, compared with the pure wood fiber system. Overall, this composite design successfully reconciles high LOX retention with enhanced safety, providing a reliable experimental basis for developing novel, efficient LOX fracturing agents.