HKUST-1 modified ultrastability cellulose/chitosan composite aerogel for highly efficient removal of methylene blue

A novel composite HKUST-1/cellulose/chitosan aerogel (HKUST-1/CCSA) as an efficient adsorbent with hierarchical pores was prepared through a facile in situ growth way combining covalent cross-linking, vacuum freeze-drying, and solvothermal methods. By incorporating with cellulose (CE), covalently cross-linked cellulose (CE)/chitosan (CS) composite aemgel exhibits good stability, maintaining fine morphology and structures in acidic solutions under solvothermal conditions. Meantime, a high content of CS is beneficial to enhancing the growth of HKUST-1. Finally, the mass loading ratio of HKUST-1 is as high as 42.54 % in HKUST-1/CCSA. The BET specific surface area of HKUST-1/CCSA reaches 457.75 m(2) g(-1), which is much larger than that of CCSA (9.74 m(2) g(-1)). HKUST-1/CCSA was applied to remove methylene blue with high adsorption capacity (526.3 mg g(-1)) and good recycling capability. This strategy can provide an effective and facile pathway to prepare ultrastable polysaccharide-based composite aemgel with high specific surface area and hierarchical pores, branching out more applications in pollutant treatment fields.

Automated summary

The novel composite aerogel HKUST-1/CCSA, prepared through covalent cross-linking, vacuum freeze-drying, and solvothermal methods, exhibited high adsorption capacity and good recyclability, making it suitable for applications in pollutant treatment fields.