In this study, an efficient method for the separation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural by the specific adsorption of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) with cellulose microgels fabricated by electron beam irradiation was developed. The cellulose microgel was recovered and reused although this was accompanied by a decrease in the separation efficiency. A series of characterizations, including ultraviolet and infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, and swelling ability tests, were performed to determine the adsorption behavior of the chemical structures of the microgel toward DMSO. The results showed that after the first run, the chemical structure of the recovered microgel did not change significantly. Electron-beam etching played a pivotal role in conferring a special capacity for enriching DMSO in its matrix on the microgel.
Keywords: 5-hydroxymethylfurfural; biomass; cellulose; microgels; separation.
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