Effects on the yield of isolated cellulose in a scale-up model

This study focuses on fabricating a cellulose aerogel for efficient oil spill cleanup, using common reed (Phragmites australis) as the cellulose source. The process involves isolating cellulose from reed via traditional Kraft pulping, considering the effects of key factors on isolated cellulose content. After a two-stage HP bleaching sequence, the highest cellulose content achieved 27.2%, with 80% ISO brightness and 1% ash content under mild Kraft pulping conditions of 30% sulfidity, 20% active alkali, sustained cooking at 165 °C for 3 hours, and a liquor-to-reed ratio of 8:1. Subsequently, reed-based cellulose aerogel was fabricated via freeze-dried method using eco-friendly NaOH/PEG aqeous solvent system, which was then modified with (methyltrimethoxysilane) MTMS. The resulting aerogel exhibited remarkable characteristics, including a low density of 0.04 g/cm³, high porosity of 96%, superhydrophobicity with a water contact angle of 141°, and a superior crude oil adsorption capacity of 35 g/g. Comprehensive characterizations of fabricated materials, including SEM, FTIR, TGA/DSC, and WAC measurements, were evaluated. This interdisciplinary study explores the commercial promise of reed-based cellulose aerogel as a sustainable solution for oil spill cleanup efforts.

Methods
Experiment methods at laboratory (scale up model) using the one-factor-at-a-time approach