Ultralight electrospun cellulose sponge with super-high capacity on absorption of organic compounds

Tao Xu; Zhao Wang; Yichun Ding; Wenhui Xu; Weidong Wu; Zhengtao Zhu; Hao Fong

doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2017.09.086

Ultralight electrospun cellulose sponge with super-high capacity on absorption of organic compounds

Carbohydr Polym. 2018 Jan 1:179:164-172. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2017.09.086. Epub 2017 Sep 28.

Authors

Tao Xu¹, Zhao Wang², Yichun Ding¹, Wenhui Xu¹, Weidong Wu³, Zhengtao Zhu¹, Hao Fong⁴

Affiliations

¹ Program of Biomedical Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, SD 57701, USA.
² Program of Biomedical Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, SD 57701, USA; Key Laboratory of Beijing City for Preparation and Processing of Novel Polymer Materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China.
³ Key Laboratory of Beijing City for Preparation and Processing of Novel Polymer Materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China. Electronic address: wuweidong@mail.buct.edu.cn.
⁴ Program of Biomedical Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, SD 57701, USA. Electronic address: hao.fong@sdsmt.edu.

PMID: 29111039
DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2017.09.086

Abstract

Three-dimensional, cost-effective, and renewable/recyclable absorbent materials with high capacities on absorption of organic compounds are urgently in demand. Herein, a facile while innovative approach is reported to develop ultralight electrospun cellulose sponge (UECS). The prepared UECS exhibits super-high absorption capacity (up to 232 times of its own weight) towards absorption of organic compounds due to high porosity (99.57%), low density (6.45mg/cm³), and hydrophobic surface feature (with water contact angle of 141.2°). Furthermore, the UECS is mechanically robust thus can be readily cut into different shapes; and it also possesses excellent stability against various organic compounds. Intriguingly, upon absorption of an organic compound, the shape-stable UECS organic gel can be formed. Hence, the developed UECS would be promising as environmental friendly absorbent on high-performance separation of organic compounds from aqueous systems; while the UECS organic gel could be utilized for the applications such as drug delivery and sensor.

Keywords: Electrospinning; Nanofibrous sponge; Organic compound absorbent; Regenerated cellulose; Super-high absorption capacity.