Abstract

Despite great promises of cellulose nanofibers for water treatment, current technologies have lacked the exclusive use of cellulose nanofibers (CNF) in high-flux filters having an affinity for a desired contaminant. To tackle this, we prepared porous and functionalized filters via solvent exchange, supercritical drying, and freeze-drying of cationic CNF and compared them to conventional CNF filters obtained by the paper-making process. Porosity and pore size were evaluated in the dry state qualitatively and quantitatively via scanning electron microscopy and mercury intrusion porosimetry, respectively. The permeance of water and a solution containing a negatively charged model molecule (humic acid) through these filters was measured at various pressures and correlated to the filters’ structure. As compared to the CNF filters made via paper-making, the porosity, pore size, and permeance were increased after processing via solvent exchange, supercritical drying, and freeze-drying routes. Those filters which...

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