Nanocellulose as a green and sustainable emerging material in energy applications: a review

In this review, a recent prospect on application of nanocellulose in energy application has been highlighted. To achieve high capacities that are essential for effective extraction of interesting ions and for faster charging and discharging in the energy storage devices, nanocellulose in the conducting matrix must obviously assist the dual purpose of mechanically improving and reinforcing the specific charge capacity. The abundant number of nanocellulose hydroxyl groups on the surface favors the formation of hydrogen bonding in an ordered structure and lead to it having high strength and stiffness properties at low density. This brought up the idea of utilizing nanocellulose as a reinforcement and energy adsorption agent originating from the possibility of exploiting the high strength and stiffness of cellulose crystals in composite applications. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ultrasound-aided rapid and enhanced adsorption of anionic dyes from binary dye matrix onto novel hematite/polyaniline nanocomposite: Response surface methodology optimization

In recent times, polyaniline (PANI), a conducting polymer, has been studied widely for environmental remediation application due to its controllable electric conductivity with high surface area, which makes it a suitable adsorbent material. But lower mechanical stability of PANI is considered to be a serious drawback for its large-scale industrial application. To improve the mechanical strength of PANI, in this study, hematite nanoparticles were impregnated onto PANI by oxidative polymerization method in order to fabricate a novel organometallic nanocomposite (hematite-PANI-NC). The hematite-PANI-NC was used as adsorbent for removal of methyl orange (MO) and eosin yellow (EY) dye from binary dye matrix under ultrasonic-assisted adsorption. Excellent MO and EY dye removal (more than 98%) was observed from binary matrix at a wide solution pH from 2.0 to 6.0, and under ultrasound wave the adsorption equilibrium was achieved within 15 min only. Both MO and EY dyes adsorption experimental data strictly followed Langmuir isotherm, and maximum monolayer adsorption capacity of 126.58 mg/g and 112.36 mg/g was observed for MO and EY dye, respectively. The uptake mechanism of MO and EY dyes onto hematite-PANI-NC is governed by electrostatic interaction, π-π bonding and hydrogen bonding between dye molecules and nanocomposite. Response surface methodology analysis reveals maximum MO and EY removal of 98.43% and 99.35% at optimum experimental conditions. This study implies that the hybrid organometallic material hematite-PANI-NC has high potential for quick and enhanced sono-assisted uptake of anionic dyes from water near neutral solution pH.     

Microfibrillated cellulose and new nanocomposite materials: a review

Due to their abundance, high strength and stiffness, low weight and biodegradability, nano-scale cellulose fiber materials (e.g., microfibrillated cellulose and bacterial cellulose) serve as promising candidates for bio-nanocomposite production. Such new high-value materials are the subject of continuing research and are commercially interesting in terms of new products from the pulp and paper industry and the agricultural sector. Cellulose nanofibers can be extracted from various plant sources and, although the mechanical separation of plant fibers into smaller elementary constituents has typically required high energy input, chemical and/or enzymatic fiber pre-treatments have been developed to overcome this problem. A challenge associated with using nanocellulose in composites is the lack of compatibility with hydrophobic polymers and various chemical modification methods have been explored in order to address this hurdle. This review summarizes progress in nanocellulose preparation with a particular focus on microfibrillated cellulose and also discusses recent developments in bio-nanocomposite fabrication based on nanocellulose.     

Recycle Adsorption of Cu2+ on Amine-functionalized Mesoporous Silica Monolithic

3-Aminopropyltriethoxysilane functionalized worm-like mesoporous silica monolithic(WMSM-NH₂) was prepared and used as a new regenerable adsorbent for the removal of Cu²⁺ ions. The analysis results show that the WMSM-NH₂ monolithic had a high efficiency value of 99.3% for Cu²⁺ remediation when the Cu²⁺ solution was at an initial concentration of 10.32 mg/L. The regeneration study of the WMSM-NH₂ monolithic presented that the adsorption efficiency of 89.0% was remained and a mass of 92.0% was left after seven adsorption-desorption cycles were executed. The monolithic material with high resistance to the acid and good mechanical stability can facilitate the operations of adsorption and regeneration of the adsorbent.     

Exploration of biomass waste as low cost adsorbents for removal of methylene blue dye: A review

Biomass waste, which is abundantly available has been studied as low cost biosorbent for dye sequestration from waste water. The present review reports on recent development for remediation of methylene blue dye by agricultural waste and fruit peel waste material. The aim of this study was to revise latest literature in the field of dye adsorption and discuss the dye adsorption capacity of different types of adsorbents. The activated carbon prepared from several types of biomass waste material enhances the adsorption efficiency after modification. The variety of activating agents, method of activation, characterization of biosorbent material like SEM, EDAX, BET surface area and FTIR analysis has been explored in the present review. The dye adsorption factors such as effect of pH, agitation time, temperature, adsorbate and adsorbent dose were discussed. The detailed investigation on applicability of isotherm model, kinetic model and thermodynamic parameters has also been presented. The adsorption kinetics and adsorption isotherm model focus on selectivity of adsorbent. Adsorption mechanism, Influence of surface area, influence of pH_pzc and comparative study of biomass waste adsorbent with other adsorbents have been carried out. The use of biomass waste adsorbents is economically feasible, environmental healthy and found to have outstanding removal capacity of dyes.     

聚2,5-呋喃二甲酸乙二醇酯/聚丁二酸丁二醇酯共混物的制备与表征

通过熔融共混制备了聚2,5-呋喃二甲酸乙二醇酯(PEF)/聚丁二酸丁二醇酯(PBS)共混物,探究了制备PEF/PBS共混物的影响因素,考察了共混温度、共混时间、螺杆转速、共混比例对PEF/PBS共混物力学性能的影响因素,并用示差扫描量热仪、热失重、扫描电子显微镜等技术手段对其热性能和相容性进行了表征。 结果表明,当PBS的含量为15%、共混温度为230 ℃,共混时间为90 s、螺杆转速为150 r/min时,为最佳共混制备条件,此时相容性最好,热性能良好,冲击强度和拉伸强度最大,冲击强度相对纯PEF提高了6倍,拉伸强度提高了近20%,从而大幅提高了PEF的冲击强度,有效地增强了PEF的抗冲击韧性。 这些工作为这一生物基聚酯材料的应用提供了可能。     

Materials chemistry and the futurist eco-friendly applications of nanocellulose: Status and prospect

Cellulose, a linear biopolymer, is present naturally in all plants. Apart from being the planet’s predominant natural polymer, it also offers a variety of features including excellent biocompatibility, lower density, substantial strength and the most beneficial mechanical characteristics, inexpensive in cost. Applying the mechanical or chemical techniques, cellulosic materials are transformed into cellulose nanofibres (CNFs) and even cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs). These CNFs and CNCs exhibit excellent capabilities in comparison with native cellulose fibre. Nowadays, nanocellulose is being used in a variety of practical applications such as product packaging, papers as well as paperboard, food sector, healthcare, hygiene products, paints, skin care products and sensors. The current review article summarizes the cellulose, processing methods for nanocellulose, techniques used for chemical modification of cellulose surface and consequently its application as reinforcement in polymeric materials. This article also provides a comprehensive discussion of the historical development in the area of nanocellulose.     

Research progress of graphene-based nanomaterials for the environmental remediation

Graphene is a two-dimensional nanomaterial with huge surface area,high carrier mobility and high mechanical strength.Because of its great potential in nanotechnology and environmental protection,it has attracted much attention in environmental and energy fields since its discovery in 2004.Although graphene is a star material,many reviews have introduced its use in terms of energy,the research progress in the field of environment,especially water pollution control,has been rarely reported.Here,we review exhaustively the research progress of graphene-based materials in environmental pollution remediation in the past ten years.Firstly,the advantages and classification of graphene were introduced.Secondly,the research progress and main achievements of graphene and its composites in the fields of photocatalytic degradation,pollutant adsorption and water treatment were emphatically described,and the mechanism of action in the above fields was summarized.Finally,we discuss the problems existing in the preparation and summarize the application of graphene in the environment.     

Strong cellulose nanofibre–nanosilica composites with controllable pore structure

Flexible nanocellulose composites with silica nanoparticle loading from 5 to 77 wt% and tunable pore size were made and characterised. The pore structure of the new composites can be controlled (100–1000 nm to 10–60 nm) by adjusting the silica nanoparticle content. Composites were prepared by first complexing nanoparticles with a cationic dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate polyacrylamide, followed by retaining this complex in a nanocellulose fibre network. High retention of nanoparticles resulted. The structural changes and pore size distribution of the composites were characterised through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and mercury porosimetry analysis, respectively. The heavily loaded composites formed packed bed structures of nanoparticles. Film thickness was approximately constant for composites with low loading, indicating that nanoparticles filled gaps created by nanocellulose fibres without altering their structure. Film thickness increased drastically for high loading because of the new packed bed structure. Unexpectedly, within the investigated loading range, the level of the tensile index on nanocellulose mass basis remained constant, showing that the silica nanoparticles did not significantly interfere with the bonding between the cellulose nanofibres. This hierarchically engineered material remains flexible at all loadings, and its unique packing enables use in applications requiring nanocellulose composites with controlled pore structure and high surface area.     

Aerogels with 3D Ordered Nanofiber Skeletons of Liquid‐Crystalline Nanocellulose Derivatives as Tough and Transparent Insulators

Aerogels of high porosity and with a large internal surface area exhibit outstanding performances as thermal, acoustic, or electrical insulators. However, most aerogels are mechanically brittle and optically opaque, and the structural and physical properties of aerogels strongly depend on their densities. The unfavorable characteristics of aerogels are intrinsic to their skeletal structures consisting of randomly interconnected spherical nanoparticles. A structurally new type of aerogel with a three‐dimensionally ordered nanofiber skeleton of liquid‐crystalline nanocellulose (LC‐NCell) is now reported. This LC‐NCell material is composed of mechanically strong, surface‐carboxylated cellulose nanofibers dispersed in a nematic LC order. The LC‐NCell aerogels are transparent and combine mechanical toughness and good insulation properties. These properties of the LC‐NCell aerogels could also be readily controlled.     

Composite Material that Comprised Metal–Organic Nanotubes and a Sponge as a High‐Performance Adsorbent for the Extraction of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products from Environmental Water Samples

A composite material that comprised metal–organic nanotubes (MONTs) and a sponge, Cu?MONTs?sponge, was synthesized by using a rapid and convenient surfactant‐assisted dip‐coating method and used as a high‐performance adsorbent for the solid‐phase extraction of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCP) from environmental water samples. By adjusting the surfactant concentration, a composite material that contained metal–organic nanotubes and a macroporous 3D porous sponge was constructed. This modified sponge achieved outstanding reproducibility as an adsorbent, with the adsorption of trace or ultratrace amounts of contaminants. Moreover, this composite material was conveniently recycled and its extraction efficiency only decreased by 6.3–12.1 % after 30 adsorption/desorption cycles. The resulting composite exhibited excellent adsorption capacity for PPCPs, which was attributed to its unique porous structure, natural hydrophobicity, and electrostatic interactions between the metal–organic nanotubes and analyte molecules. This Cu?MONTs?sponge material is an ideal adsorbent for the extraction of trace amounts of PPCPs from environmental water samples.     

Nanocellulose reinforced as green agent in polymer matrix composites applications

Owing to their abundance, high strength and stiffness, and low weight and biodegradability, nanocellulose (NC) is regarded as a promising candidate for the preparation of green composites. The high reinforcing effect assigned to the mechanical percolation phenomenon of NC is due to the stiff continuous networks of cellulosic nanoparticles linked via hydrogen bonding. Compared to nanocrystalline cellulose, NC fibers result in more significant improvement to the modulus, stiffness, and strength as aspect ratio NC fiber is higher compared to NC crystal. Indeed, in the case of biopolymer composites, the reinforcement effect of NC is attributed to the NC‐polymer interactions and the reinforcing effect occurring through effective stress transfer at the NC‐polymer interface. The NC‐reinforced composites tend to become more brittle as the concentration of the reinforcing particles increase up to the saturated level, due to the reduction in surface adhesion between filler and matrix. Due to its promising mechanical and structural stability, NC composites have been used widely in many industrial applications such as food packaging, electronic applications, and tissue engineering.     

All-cellulose nanocomposites by surface selective dissolution of bacterial cellulose

All-cellulose nanocomposites using bacterial cellulose (BC) as a single raw material were prepared by a surface selective dissolution method. The effect of the immersion time of BC in the solvent (lithium chloride/N,N-dimethylacetamide) during preparation on the nanocomposite properties was investigated. The structure, morphology and mechanical properties of the nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and tensile testing. The optimum immersion time of 10 min allowed the preparation of nanocomposites with an average tensile strength of 411 MPa and Young’s modulus of 18 GPa. With the longest immersion time of 60 min, the prepared composite sheet turns to express a very high toughness characteristic possessing a work-to-fracture as high as 16 MJ/m³. These biobased nanocomposites show high performances thanks to their unique structure and properties.     

Biomass-derived dynamic covalent epoxy thermoset with robust mechanical properties and facile malleability

Biomass-derived dynamic covalent thermoset has been considered as a promising solution to the high dependence on fossil resources and the difficulty in recyclability after curing of conventional bisphenol A epoxy resins. However, the design and preparation of a dynamic covalent biobased epoxy thermoset with both comparable thermal and mechanical performances to bisphenol A epoxy resins and reprocessibility remains a significant challenge. Herein, based on imine chemistry, a novel Schiff base-con...     

硅胶负载碳纳米管分离富集水中痕量银

以NaOH为沉淀试剂,将水样中的Ag+在线生成Ag2O沉淀,并即时被滞留在硅胶负载的碳纳米管表面。被吸附的Ag2O沉淀用HNO3(10%,V/V)洗脱,并用火焰原子吸收法检测。当进样体积为5.4mL时,线性范围为1～120μg/L,富集系数为34.5;检出限为0.35μg/L;相对标准偏差为0.5%(40μg/L,n=7),采样频率为47次/h。结果表明:本方法的富集系数、检出限及精密度均明显优于以纯碳纳米管和纯硅胶微珠为吸附剂收集Ag2O的体系。将此系统应用于实际水样中银的测定,加标回收率在96%～108%之间。     

Nanocellulose characteristics from the inner and outer layer of banana pseudo-stem prepared by TEMPO-mediated oxidation

Many tonnes of agricultural wastes are generated annually, which contains a relatively high amount of cellulose; banana pseudo-stem is one waste type that is a promising material for nanocellulose production. This research characterised nanocellulose from inner and outer layers of banana pseudo-stem as a preliminary research strategy for designing biodegradable packaging material from banana pseudo-stem nanocellulose. Nanocellulose was successfully prepared through TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine 1-oxyl)-mediated oxidation. The extracted nanocellulose from both the inner and outer layers had observed widths of approximately 7–35 nm and long fibrillated fibre. They had high negative zeta potential (lower than ?33.6) that provided good colloidal stability. The purity of the nanocellulose was high as demonstrated by ¹³C solid-state NMR and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Nanocellulose from both layers was significantly more crystalline than the raw materials. Thermal stability of nanocellulose sourced from inner and outer layers was relatively similar, with degradation temperature of approximately 220 °C, which was slightly lower than the degradation temperature of its native form (232 °C for inner layer and 261 °C for outer layer).     

Nanocellulose–surfactant interactions

Biomass-derived nanomaterials, such as cellulose nanocrystals and nanofibrils, are attractive building blocks for the formulation of foams, emulsions, suspensions and multiphase systems. Depending on their surface chemistry, aspect ratio and crystallinity, nanocelluloses can control the rheology and stability of dispersions; they can also confer robust mechanical properties to composites. Synthetic modification of fibrillar cellulose is an option to achieve chemical compatibility in related systems, in the formation of composites, etc. However, this can also limit the environmental benefits gained from the use of the cellulosic component. Thus, an attractive mean to compatibilize and to further expand the applications of nanocelluloses is through the use of surfactants. The chemical toolbox of surfactants developed over the last 60 years allows for a large versatility while their environmental impact can also be minimized. Furthermore, relatively small amounts of surfactants are sufficient to significantly impact the interfacial forces, which has implications in material development, from the colloidal scale to the macro-scale. In this review we attempt to cover the literature pertaining to the combined uses of surfactants and nanocelluloses. We summarize reports on the incorporation with nanocellulose of nonionic, anionic, amphoteric and cationic surfactants. With the ever-expanding interest in the use of renewable materials in a vast range of applications, we hope to provide insights into the application of surfactants as a tool to tailor the compatibility and the surface chemistry of nanocelluloses.     

An Overview on Graphene-Metal Oxide Semiconductor Nanocomposite: A Promising Platform for Visible Light Photocatalytic Activity for the Treatment of Various Pollutants in Aqueous Medium

Graphene is one of the most favorite materials for materials science research owing to its distinctive chemical and physical properties, such as superior conductivity, extremely larger specific surface area, and good mechanical/chemical stability with the flexible monolayer structure. Graphene is considered as a supreme matrix and electron arbitrator of semiconductor nanoparticles for environmental pollution remediation. The present review looks at the recent progress on the graphene-based metal oxide and ternary composites for photocatalysis application, especially for the application of the environmental remediation. The challenges and perspectives of emerging graphene-based metal oxide nanocomposites for photocatalysis are also discussed.     

Preconcentration and selective extraction of chromium species in water samples using amino modified mesoporous silica

Speciation and separation of chromium (VI) and chromium (III) from aqueous solutions were investigated using amino-propyl functionalised mesoporous silica (AP-MCM-41) as an adsorbent. The as-synthesised adsorbent was produced following a simple synthesis method at room temperature prior to template removal using microwave digestion. The maximum adsorption capacity at 111.1mg/g was calculated according to the Langmuir isotherm model, suggesting a 1:1 monolayer adsorption mechanism. Moreover, AP is a simple chelate, yet it can extract Cr (VI) exclusively from solutions containing other mixed metal ions simply by tuning the solution pH. Recovery of Cr (VI) from loaded sorbents is equally easy to perform with 100% extraction efficiencies allowing reuse of the sorbent and recovery of Cr (VI) from aqueous solutions containing a complex mixture of ions. The material would find use in environmental remediation applications, as a selective adsorbent of Cr (VI) or even as a solid-phase extraction stationary phase to remove and pre-concentrate Cr (VI) from aqueous solutions; this study demonstrates enrichment factors of 100 although higher levels are also possible.     

三维MXene多孔结构的构建与应用研究进展

MXene作为一种新型二维（2D）纳米材料以其独特的高导电性、高电化学表面活性等特性在多个领域引起了广泛关注。然而,MXene纳米片在自组装过程中出现的紧密堆叠现象导致比表面积急剧下降,降低了活性表面积,从而严重阻碍了它们在能源储存、电磁屏蔽、吸附等领域的潜在应用。构建三维多孔结构是解决MXene组装过程中自堆叠问题的一种有效途径,而且通过不同的组装方法可以实现对多孔宏观结构组成成分、孔径分布以及孔径大小的调控,使得MXene多孔材料在机械性能、电学性能以及光热转换性能等方面得到更好的调整,从而满足不同应用领域的需求。本综述以Ti₃C₂T_x MXene为主要研究材料总结了各种多孔MXene宏观结构的制备方法,讨论了其在电池/超级电容器、电磁屏蔽与吸收、海水淡化、光催化以及传感和环境修复等方面的应用,阐述了MXene多孔结构在各种应用中的贡献与意义,并针对MXene多孔结构的制备、结构调控和应用等方面的机遇和挑战作了论述。