Fabrication of nano particles modified cellulose biomass for oil-water separation

Attention has been paid to the problem of oily water contamination. In order to meet the strict discharging requirement and obtain a high product quality, efficient separation is required. Cellulose biomass can be used in separation processes due to its good performance and low cost. Although cellulose biomass has been fabricated into hydrophobic or even superhydrophobic filter through various methods in some previous studies, the techniques about producing hydrophilic and underwater oleophobic materials are limited. The hydrophilic filter based on such natural material is also featured energy saving and antifouling. Coating hydrophilic nanoparticles onto cellulose biomass surface has the potential for developing novel filter. Therefore, this study aims to modify cellulose biomass through attaching nanoparticles on the biomass surface. The hydrophilic characteristics of modified biomass were analysed through the measurement of contact angle. The optimum modification conditions were determined based on factorial analysis. The modified biomass were also characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses. The modified biomass was used in oil-water separation. After modification, it was found the restriction of oil was enhanced. The modified biomass filter was proved to be suitable in defencing oil from immiscible oil/water. This innovative green separation technique filter can be widely applied in future water recovery.