A theoretical and experimental study of oil wicking behavior via “green” superabsorbent

Properties of cellulose aerogels indicate their great potential in oil pollutant treatment, a domain that has received tremendous attention recently; however, there are only a small theoretical studies into their absorption mechanisms. Herein, we developed a dual-scale oil absorption model based on...

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Veröffentlicht in:Cellulose (London) 2021-11, Vol.28 (16), p.10517-10529
Hauptverfasser: Zhang, Huimin, Xu, Guangbiao, Wang, Fumei, Su, Siheng, Wang, Jilong, Shen, Hua
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Sprache:eng
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Zusammenfassung:Properties of cellulose aerogels indicate their great potential in oil pollutant treatment, a domain that has received tremendous attention recently; however, there are only a small theoretical studies into their absorption mechanisms. Herein, we developed a dual-scale oil absorption model based on the Washburn capillary theory to investigate the oil absorption kinetics of aerogels. It was found that kapok/microfibrillated cellulose aerogels (KCAs) exhibit high oil absorption performance via a capillary wicking method that simulates oil removal by aerogels in polluted oceans. This theoretical model demonstrates that the oil absorption capacity is mainly derived from the continuous primary pores within the aerogel skeleton, while secondary pores introduced by chopped kapok could collect and conduct oil, leading to improved oil absorption rates of KCAs. The experimental results of the oil absorption coefficients confirm the accuracy of the developed dual-scale model. The study of this dual-scale model is significant in investigating the relationship between the pore structure and oil absorption of aerogels, which will provide valuable insights for the practical application of aerogels for oil removal in polluted oceans. Graphic abstract
ISSN:0969-0239
1572-882X
DOI:10.1007/s10570-021-04218-6