Removal of Oily Contaminants from Water by Using the Hydrophobic Ag Nanoparticles Incorporated Dopamine Modified Cellulose Foam.

Nadeem Baig,Irshad Kammakakam

doi:10.3390/polym13183163

Nadeem Baig, Irshad Kammakakam

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13183163

Copy DOI

Abstract

The presence of oil-related contaminants in water has emerged as a severe threat to the environment. The separation of these contaminants from water has become a great challenge, and extensive efforts are being made to develop suitable, environmentally friendly materials. Highly hydrophobic materials are effective in the selective separation of oil from water. In this work, silver (Ag)-incorporated, highly hydrophobic dopamine-modified cellulose sponge was prepared by functionalizing with the range of alkyl silanes. The Ag nanoparticle-incorporated dopamine provided the appropriate roughness, whereas the alkyl component provided the low surface energy that made it selective towards oil. It was found that the alkyl groups with a longer chain length were more effective in enhancing the hydrophobicity of the Ag nanoparticle-incorporated, dopamine-modified cellulose. The developed materials were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), elemental mapping, and contact angle goniometry. The maximum water contact angle on the functionalized surfaces was observed at 148.4°. The surface of the C18s-Ag-DA-Cell-F showed excellent selectivity towards the oily component that rapidly permeated, and water was rejected wholly. The developed material showed a separation efficiency of 96.2% for the oil/water mixture. The C18s-Ag-DA-Cell-F material showed excellent reusability. Due to their environmentally friendly nature, excellent selectivity, and good separation efficiency, the functionalized cellulose materials can be used to separate oil and water effectively.

Highlights

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectroscopy proved a powerful tool in determining the successful functionalFTIR spectroscopy proved a powerful tool in determining the successful functionalization of the various surfaces over time
The FTIR spectrum showed the strong presence of the cellulose is full of hydroxyl groups
We successfully fabricated a range of Ag nanoparticle-incorporated dopamine-modified cellulose foams

Summary

Introduction

The separation of oil-related organic contaminants from water has emerged as a critical environmental problem. Oil spills can cause severe health and environmental impacts and enormous economic losses [1]. Oil spills in water may cause oxygen deficiency in aquatic systems, leading to the death of living organisms [2]. The separation of oil-related contaminants from water has received significant importance due to their substantial adverse impact on the economy and the environment. It has become an area of great interest to develop materials and methods to remove these contaminants from water with high efficiency [3,4]

Methods

Results

Conclusion