Fabrication of rGO/CNC composite aerogel reinforced with cellulose fibers for the adsorption of organic solvents
Paper ID : 1280-ICNS
Authors:
Ramin Shadkam1, Arash Ghazitabar *2, Malek Naderi1
1Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology
2Department of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, Amirkabir University of technology
Abstract:
Graphene aerogels (GA) are promising materials for the adsorption of organic compounds due to their excellent properties such as low density, high porosity, high surface area, and adjustable chemistry. Although obtaining the desirable mechanical robustness and durability is still a challenge. Herein, we fabricated a hybrid graphene aerogel via mild chemical reduction route, using non-toxic reducing agents. The composite is based on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) sheets and cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), in which cellulose fibers (CF) are introduced to reinforce the physical structure. Microscopy studies exhibited the incorporation of entangled fibers throughout the rGO sheets, forming a three dimensional (3D) network of channels that facilitate the mass transfer in the adsorption process. The compression test showed about a 200% increase in mechanical strength. The adsorption experiments also revealed a remarkable capacity of 59 times its weight for Toluene. The desorption and recovery can be simply done by mechanical squeezing and distillation, respectively. This work provides an environmentally-friendly route to fabricate adsorbent materials for the removal of oil pollution.
Keywords:
Graphene aerogel; Cellulose fiber; Adsorption; Cellulose nanocrystal; Oil removal
Status : Abstract Accepted (Poster Presentation)
8th International Conference on Nanostructures 8th International Conference on Nanostructures