Efficient Removal of Arsenic Using Zinc Oxide Nanocrystal Decorated Regenerated Microfibrillated Cellulose Scaffolds
Regenerated microfibrillated cellulose (R MFC) fibers were prepared successfully by a combined dissolution and regeneration approach using phosphoric acid/ethanol treatment on jute cellulose. The prepared R MFC fibers possessed high surface area (10.74 m2/g) good aspect ratio (L/D 30) and excellent thermal stability (Tmax 352 degC) In addition, the fibers exhibited 3.84 wt of phosphate groups (PO42 with a z potential of 8.4 mV and low crystallinity index (CI) of 47.5% These R MFC fibers were in the cellulose II polymorph, confirmed by 13C CPMAS NMR and WAXD measurements, and they were effective to anchor the growth of ZnO nanocrystals. WAXD and TEM examinations on the imbedded ZnO nanocrystals indicated that they possessed the hexagonal wurtzite crystal structure and could assemble into a flower like morphology in the R MFC scaffold. A R MFC composite containing 41 wt of ZnO nanocrystals was found to be very efficient to remove arsenic (As(V) ions from water with the maximum capacity of 4,42.
ACS Sustainable Chemistry Engineering