Incorporation of graphene nanosheets into cellulose aerogels: enhanced mechanical, thermal, and oil adsorption properties

In this paper, novel graphene/cellulose (GC) aerogels were prepared based on a green NaOH/PEG solution. Scanning electron microscope observation indicates that the three-dimensional network skeleton structure of cellulose aerogels is tightly covered by the compact sheet structure. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy analyses demonstrate that the graphene nanosheets have been successfully synthesized and embedded in the cellulose aerogels. The incorporation of graphene nanosheets gives rise to the significant improvement in the specific surface area and pore volume, thermal stability, mechanical strength, and oil adsorption efficiency of GC aerogels. Therefore, the green hybrid GC aerogels have more advantages over the pure cellulose aerogels in treating oil-containing wastewater or oil spills under the harsh environment.