Facile Preparation of Mechanically Robust and Functional Silica/Cellulose Nanofiber Gels Reinforced with Soluble Polysaccharides
Marco Beaumont,
Elisabeth Jahn,
Andreas Mautner,
Stefan Veigel,
Stefan Böhmdorfer,
Antje Potthast,
Wolfgang Gindl-Altmutter,
Thomas Rosenau
Affiliations
Marco Beaumont
Department of Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry of Renewable Resources, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Konrad-Lorenz-Straße 24, 3430 Tulln, Austria
Elisabeth Jahn
Department of Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry of Renewable Resources, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Konrad-Lorenz-Straße 24, 3430 Tulln, Austria
Andreas Mautner
Faculty of Chemistry, Institute of Materials Chemistry and Research, Polymer and Composite Engineering (PaCE) Group, University of Vienna, Währinger Street 42, 1090 Vienna, Austria
Stefan Veigel
Department of Material Sciences and Process Engineering, Institute of Wood Technology and Renewable Materials, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Konrad-Lorenz-Straße 24, 3430 Tulln, Austria
Stefan Böhmdorfer
Department of Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry of Renewable Resources, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Konrad-Lorenz-Straße 24, 3430 Tulln, Austria
Antje Potthast
Department of Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry of Renewable Resources, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Konrad-Lorenz-Straße 24, 3430 Tulln, Austria
Wolfgang Gindl-Altmutter
Department of Material Sciences and Process Engineering, Institute of Wood Technology and Renewable Materials, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Konrad-Lorenz-Straße 24, 3430 Tulln, Austria
Thomas Rosenau
Department of Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry of Renewable Resources, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Konrad-Lorenz-Straße 24, 3430 Tulln, Austria
Nanoporous silica gels feature extremely large specific surface areas and high porosities and are ideal candidates for adsorption-related processes, although they are commonly rather fragile. To overcome this obstacle, we developed a novel, completely solvent-free process to prepare mechanically robust CNF-reinforced silica nanocomposites via the incorporation of methylcellulose and starch. Significantly, the addition of starch was very promising and substantially increased the compressive strength while preserving the specific surface area of the gels. Moreover, different silanes were added to the sol/gel process to introduce in situ functionality to the CNF/silica hydrogels. Thereby, CNF/silica hydrogels bearing carboxyl groups and thiol groups were produced and tested as adsorber materials for heavy metals and dyes. The developed solvent-free sol/gel process yielded shapable 3D CNF/silica hydrogels with high mechanical strength; moreover, the introduction of chemical functionalities further widens the application scope of such materials.
