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Localized hydrogels based on cellulose nanofibers and wood pulp for rapid removal of methylene blue
Author(s) -
Harris Justin T.,
McNeil Anne J.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2642-4169
pISSN - 2642-4150
DOI - 10.1002/pol.20200590
Subject(s) - self healing hydrogels , cellulose , methylene blue , cationic polymerization , nanofiber , adsorption , pulp (tooth) , chemical engineering , chemistry , pulp and paper industry , materials science , polymer chemistry , organic chemistry , composite material , catalysis , medicine , pathology , photocatalysis , engineering
Access to clean water has become increasingly difficult, motivating the need for materials that can efficiently remove pollutants. Hydrogels have been explored for remediation, but they often require long times to reach high levels of adsorption. To overcome this limitation, we developed a rapid, locally formed hydrogel that adsorbs dye during gelation. These hydrogels are derived from cellulose—a renewable, nontoxic, and biodegradable resource. More specifically, we found that sulfated cellulose nanofibers or sulfated wood pulps, when mixed with a water‐soluble, cationic cellulose derivative, efficiently remove methylene blue (a cationic dye) within seconds. The maximum adsorption capacity was found to be 340 ± 40 mg methylene blue/g cellulose. As such, these localized hydrogels (and structural analogues) may be useful for remediating other pollutants.