Abstract
In this study, first, a green and efficient NaOH/urea aqueous solution system was used to dissolve cellulose. Second, the resulting solution was mixed with sodium montmorillonite. Third, a cellulose/montmorillonite aerogel with a three-dimensional porous structure was prepared via a sol-gel process, solvent exchange and freeze-drying. The viscoelastic analysis results showed that the addition of montmorillonite accelerated the sol-gel process in the cellulose solution. During this process, montmorillonite adhered to the cellulose substrate surface via hydrogen bonding and then became embedded in the pore structure of the cellulose aerogel. As a result, the pore diameter of the aerogel decreased and the specific surface area of the aerogel increased. Furthermore, the addition of montmorillonite increased the compressive modulus and density of the cellulose aerogel and reduced volume shrinkage during the preparation process. In addition, the oil/water adsorption capacities of cellulose aerogels and cellulose/montmorillon aerogels were investigated.
Highlights
Today, because the depletion of petroleum resources and serious environmental pollution continue to increase, the preparation of cellulose-based functional materials has attracted increasing attention from scientists and society [1,2]
In a previous study by Geng, a NaOH/urea aqueous solution was used as a solvent for cellulose, N,N 0 -methylenebisacrylamide was used as a crosslinking agent, and freeze-drying was used to prepare cellulose aerogels
This study showed that the addition of montmorilloniteof montmorillonite increased modulus the density thecellulose cellulose aerogel
Summary
Because the depletion of petroleum resources and serious environmental pollution continue to increase, the preparation of cellulose-based functional materials has attracted increasing attention from scientists and society [1,2]. Ren et al prepared cellulose/graphene oxide composite aerogels with a three-dimensional thin-walled pore structural network, a large specific surface area, and an excellent dye elimination effect (99.0%) by mixing a graphene oxide suspension with a cellulose solution [12]. Sodium-based montmorillonite possesses excellent swelling properties, cation exchangeability, dispersibility in aqueous medium, viscosity, lubricity, and thermal stability as well as high hot and wet compressive strength and compressive modulus [17,18]. It is one of the most ideal cellulose aerogel reinforcing materials. The liquid adsorption properties of the composite aerogels were examined
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