Jingpeng Li

Fabrication of cellulose-based aerogels from waste newspaper without any pretreatment and their use for absorbents.

Cellulose-based aerogel (CBA) was prepared from waste newspaper (WNP) without any pretreatment using 1-allyl-3-methyimidazolium chloride (AmImCl) as a solvent via regeneration and an environmentally friendly freeze-drying method. After being treated with trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS) via a simple thermal chemical vapor deposition process, the resulting CBAs were rendered both hydrophobic and oleophilic. Successful silanization on the surface of the porous CBA was verified by a variety of techniques including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), and water contact angle (WCA) measurements. As a result, the silane-coated, interconnected CBAs not only exhibited good absorption performance for oils (e.g., waste engine oil), but also showed absorption capacity for organic solvents such as chloroform (with a representative weight gain ranging from 11 to 22 times of their own dry weight), making them diversified absorbents for potential applications including sewage purification.

Green and facile fabrication of carbon aerogels from cellulose-based waste newspaper for solving organic pollution.

Carbon-based aerogel fabricated from waste biomass is a potential absorbent material for solving organic pollution. Herein, the lightweight, hydrophobic and porous carbon aerogels (CAs) have been synthesized through freezing-drying and post-pyrolysis by using waste newspaper as the only raw materials. The as-prepared CAs exhibited a low density of 18.5 mg cm(-3) and excellent hydrophobicity with a water contact angle of 132° and selective absorption for organic reagents. The absorption capacity of CA for organic compounds can be 29-51 times its own weight. Moreover, three methods (e.g., squeezing, combustion, and distillation) can be employed to recycle CA and harvest organic pollutants. Combined with waste biomass as raw materials, green and facile fabrication process, excellent hydrophobicity and oleophilicity, CA used as an absorbent material has great potential in application of organic pollutant solvents absorption and environmental protection.

Fabrication of robust superhydrophobic bamboo based on ZnO nanosheet networks with improved water-, UV-, and fire-resistant properties

Bamboo with water-resistant, UV-resistant, and fire-resistant properties was desirable in modern society. In this paper, the original bamboo was firstly treated with ZnO sol and then hydrothermally the ZnO nanosheet networks grow onto the bamboo surface and subsequently modified with fluoroalkyl silane (FAS-17). The FAS-17 treated bamboo substrate exhibited not only robust superhydrophobicity with a high contact angle of 161° but also stable repellency towards simulated acid rain (pH = 3) with a contact angle of 152°. Except for its robust superhydrophobicity, such a bamboo also presents superior water-resistant, UV-resistant, and fire-resistant properties.

Fabrication of superhydrophobic bamboo timber based on an anatase TiO2 film for acid rain protection and flame retardancy

A facile method for fabricating superhydrophobic bamboo timber based on an anatase TiO2 film for acid rain protection and flame retardancy is described in the present work. Bamboo timber with a maximal water contact angle of 154° has been prepared by the hydrothermal deposition of anatase TiO2 nanoparticles and further modified with octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS). The geometric microstructure of the anatase TiO2 nanoparticles and the chemical composition of the superhydrophobic coating were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The wetting behavior of the bamboo timber samples was investigated by water contact angle (WCA) measurements. The results indicated that strong hydrogen bonds were formed between the amorphous TiO2 and the hydroxide radicals of the bamboo timber surfaces, and the strong interaction contributed to the heat stability enhancement of the TiO2/bamboo timber composites. Moreover, the diverse performance of the superhydrophobic bamboo timber has been evaluated as well. The treated bamboo timber exhibited outstanding superhydrophobicity, excellent waterproofing durability, acid rain resistance, and flame retardancy, offering a potential opportunity to accelerate the large-scale production of superhydrophobic woody material for new industrial applications.

Cross-Linked ZnO nanowalls immobilized onto bamboo surface and their use as recyclable photocatalysts

A novel recyclable photocatalyst was fabricated by hydrothermal method to immobilize the cross-linked ZnO nanowalls on the bamboo surface. The resultant samples were characterized by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and Fourier transformation infrared (FTIR) techniques. FTIR spectra demonstrated that the cross-linked wurtzite ZnO nanowalls and bamboo surface were interconnected with each other by hydrogen bonds. Meanwhile, the cross-linked ZnO nanowalls modified bamboo (CZNB) presented a superior photocatalytic ability and could be recycled at least 3 times with a photocatalytic efficiency up to 70%. The current research provides a new opportunity for the development of a portable and recycled biomass-based photocatalysts which can be an efficiently degraded pollutant solution and reused several times.

Preliminary studies of multi-micro/nanomaterials immobilized on the bamboo timber surface

Bamboo, a kind of forest resources only less important than wood, is especially easy to be degraded during exposure to outdoor environments. Nowadays, researchers endeavor to synthesize the multi-micro/nanomaterials on the bamboo timber surface to improve its intrinsic properties and impart excellent performances to bamboo products. In this study, multi-micro/nanomaterials including ZnO, TiO2, CaCO3, MnO2, SiO2, Ag, λ-Fe2O3, and graphite/ZnO, have been successfully immobilized on the bamboo timber surface using different methods including hydrothermal method, silver mirror reaction, and co-precipitation process. The geometric microstructures and crystalline structures of the materials on the bamboo timber surface were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. SEM observations showed that the surface of the bamboo timber was densely covered with the uniform micro/nanomaterials, which surrounded the entire surface of the bamboo timber. XRD patterns confirmed that only high purity micro/nanomaterials were formed on the surface of bamboo timber. The mechanical stability of the coating on the bamboo timber surface was also characterized by a 3M tape test. In the process of manufacturing of these micro/nanomaterials, it is exceedingly important to offer a potential opportunity to accelerate the large-scale production of woody functional materials for new industrial applications.