Cotton aerogels and cotton-cellulose aerogels from environmental waste for oil spillage cleanup. (15th September 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cheng, Hanlin; Gu, Bowen; Pennefather, Mark P.; Nguyen, Thanh X.; Phan-Thien, Nhan; Duong, Hai M.
• Is Part Of: Materials & design. Volume 130(2017)
• Page Start: 452
• Page End: 458
• Publication Date: 2017-09-15
• Subjects: Cotton fibers -- Cellulose fibers -- Aerogel -- Oil absorption -- Environmental waste; Materials -- Periodicals; Engineering design -- Periodicals; Matériaux -- Périodiques; Conception technique -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 620.11
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2017.05.082
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0264-1275

Abstract

Abstract: For the first time, successful fabrication of the cotton aerogels and cotton-cellulose aerogels is achieved using recycled fibers from environmental waste for oil absorption. The pure cotton and cotton-cellulose aerogels are obtained using a cost-effective mixing-blending method with polyamide-epichlorohydrin as strengthening additives. The obtained aerogels are silanized using methyltrimethoxysilane via a facile chemical vapor deposition to endow aerogels with hydrophobic surface. Effects of fiber concentrations and cotton-to-cellulose mass ratio on oil absorption performance in various solvents are also investigated. The cotton aerogel with an initial concentration of 0.25 wt% presents the highest oil absorption capacity over 100 g g − 1 . Besides, the cotton/cellulose aerogels also demonstrate good absorption capacity in different pollutant organics. The absorption kinetics of the aerogels with different cotton concentrations are also investigated using pseudo first-order model. Both equilibrium absorption and absorption kinetics demonstrate cotton/cellulose aerogels as promising materials for oil absorption and environmental pollution treatment. Abstract : Graphic abstract Highlights: Cotton aerogel with absorption capacity over 100 g g − 1 was prepared through simple solution routine. Silanized cotton and cotton/cellulose aerogel present good hydrophobicity. Cotton/cellulose aerogels show remarkable absorption capacity in various contaminates. Cellulose helps to improve absorption reversibility for the composite aerogels.