One-step electrospinning cellulose nanofibers with superhydrophilicity and superoleophobicity underwater for high-efficiency oil-water separation

• Published in: International journal of biological macromolecules Vol. 162; pp. 1536 - 1545
• Main Authors: Shu, Dengkun, Xi, Peng, Cheng, Bowen, Wang, Yan, Yang, Long, Wang, Xiaoqing, Yan, Xuhuan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01-11-2020
• Subjects: Cellulose; Cellulose - chemistry; Chemical Phenomena; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; Mechanical Phenomena; Models, Molecular; Nanofibers; Nanofibers - chemistry; Nanofibers - ultrastructure; Oil-water separation; Oils - chemistry; Porosity; Solubility; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; Water - chemistry; Oil-water separation; Nanofibers; Cellulose
• ISSN: 0141-8130; 1879-0003
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.07.175

Cellulose nanofibers have been widely applied in many fields because of its unique advantages. However, it is a challenge to prepare cellulose nanofibers by electrospinning directly owing to the special molecular structure of cellulose. This limits the practical applications of cellulose nanofibers. In this work, cellulose nanofibers were successfully prepared directly by design of new electrospinning receiving device and optimization of process parameters. The as-prepared cellulose nanofibers exhibit good oil-water separation performances. Driven solely by gravity, the separation flux of the cellulose nanofibers for mixture of oil and water reaches 34,300.6 L m−2 h−1, and the separation flux and efficiency for surfactant-stabilized emulsion of oil and water reach 2503.7 L m−2 h−1 and over 98.3%, respectively. The as-prepared cellulose nanofibers also exhibit good mechanical properties and reusability. The breaking strength of the cellulose nanofibers can reach 148.2 cN. The separation fluxes of cellulose nanofibers for mixtures and emulsions of oil and water can be maintained 99.7% and 86.3% of the initial value after being used for 20 times. Furthermore, the as-prepared cellulose nanofibers have good degradability. These properties render as-prepared cellulose nanofibers as promising materials with potential applications in oil-water separation.
[Display omitted]
•Cellulose nanofibers were prepared by electrospinning directly•Cellulose nanofibers were applied in separation for surfactant-stabilized emulsions of oil and water for the first time•Cellulose nanofibers exhibit superhydrophilicity and superoleophobicity underwater, and show good separation performances•Cellulose nanofibers exhibit good mechanical property, reusability and degradability•Cellulose nanofibers are competent to oil-water separation under different PH values and salinities conditions