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Recyclable, robust, and antimicrobial bamboo cellulose nanofiber aerogel decorated with ZnO@PDA core-shell nanoparticles for efficient oil-water separation

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: With excellent adsorption capacity, cellulose nanofiber aerogels are commonly employed for oil-water separation. Nevertheless, the insufficient environmental durability and poor mechanical properties of cellulose-based aerogels remain critical challenges for oil-water separation applications. Inspired by polydopamine (PDA) adhesion, a simple strategy was proposed to prepare aerogels with excellent environmental adaptive properties and stable mechanical properties using bamboo cellulose nanofibers (BCNF), sodium alginate (SA), core-shell nanoparticles, and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) via PDA self-adhesion and physical cross-linking. BCNF and SA were physically crosslinked to form a three-dimensional cross-linked network structure to enhance the strength of the aerogel backbone (compressive strength of 103.16 kPa). Zinc oxide@PDA (ZnO@PDA) core-shell nanoparticles were prepared to improve the environmental adaptability of the aerogel and modulate its surface roughness using the self-polymerization of PDA. PDMS was deposited on the aerogel by vacuum impregnation, forming a strongly hydrophobic layer on the aerogel skeleton. The aerogel exhibited excellent oil absorption capacity (26.98–71.03 g/g). In addition, it also showed remarkable antimicrobial properties (99.83 % and 99.78 % bactericidal rate for Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli , respectively), which makes it more suitable for various complex environments. With these excellent properties, the prepared aerogels act as an ideal green adsorbent for practical wastewater treatment.

Source: Industrial Crops and Products

DOI: 10.1016/j.indcrop.2025.121990

Authors: Yingying Lu, Xinmeng Luo, Qicheng Bi, Zhiyong Qin, Wei Gao, Liuting Mo

Institution: Guangxi University

Language: English

Topic: Surface Modification and Superhydrophobicity

Subfield: Surfaces, Coatings and Films

Field: Materials Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Responsible consumption and production, Clean water and sanitation

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,720