The Preparation and Characterization of Spherical Cellulose Aerogels with Core-Shell Structure

Abstract:

The spherical cellulose aerogels with core-shell structure were prepared through hanging drop method in a regenerated non-polar solution. The procedures of these aerogels' preparation include solidification in the acetic acid solution to form a hydrogel, solvent exchange with t-butyl alcohol and freeze drying. The spherical cellulose aerogels were obtained with different cellulose solution concentration, and characterized with BET analysis and electron microscopy. Their density and porosity varied linearly with different cellulose content in the initial solution. And the gel shrinkage upon drying was limited to, on average, 7.3%. The density of spherical cellulose aerogel could be reached down to 0.14 g·cm^-3 with high specific surface areas up to 210 m²·g^-1. The mesopores' diameter of spherical cellulose aerogel at the highest peak in the size distribution curve is focus on 15nm.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volume 873)
• Pages: 701-707
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.873.701
• Online since: December 2013
• Authors: Peng Wu*, Zhi Ming Liu, Jian Li
• Keywords: Cellulose Aerogel, Core-Shell Structure, Structure Analysis

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