Hierarchically porous cellulose monolith prepared by combination of ice-template method and non-solvent-induced phase separation method

Abstract

Hierarchically cellulose monoliths were successfully prepared by non-solvent-induced phase separation (NIPS) without any template. Phase separation was induced by adding ethyl acetate into a cellulose/LiCl-DMAc system. The obtained cellulose monolith with a surface area of 30m2 g-1 owned both mesoporous and macroporous structures. The pore size of the cellulose monolith could be easily tuned by changing the cellulose concentration. Moreover, the cellulose monoliths showed excellent mechanical properties.