RICE STRAW CELLULOSE AEROGELS

Abstract

In this study, cellulose was obtained from rice straw by dewaxing with Soxhlet extraction and treating with sodium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide. The obtained cellulose was used to successfully fabricate cellulose aerogels with a binder by freeze drying technique. The materials were then functionalized with methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) to achieve hydrophobicity. The morphology, pore structure and other properties of the aerogels were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetrical analysis (TGA), thermal conductivity and water contact angle (WCA) measurements. The rice straw cellulose aerogels exhibited very low specific density (0.0412-0.0470 g/cm3), high porosity (> 96 %), superhydrophobicity (WCA > 137o) and low thermal conductivity (0.034-0.036 W/(m.K)). The aerogels showed good oil adsorption capacity of 15.66-16.09 g/g.