Carbon Capturing Cellulose Nanofibril Films Derived

 

This particular research project, titled CO2 adsorption of surface-modified cellulose nanofibril films derived from agricultural wastes, was conducted by the American Chemial Society (ACS) Washington, D.C., USA. An ACS research team studied cellulose nanofibers constructed together so as to produce a film capable of screening Carbon gas emissions. 

This past week the official project abstract outlining the scientific conclusions the team reached was published summarizing methodology of providing / applying specific modifications they've discovered and isolated for successfully treating nanocellulose as a film that can absorb CO2 as an activated single material object as opposed to a mechanical device requiring assembly and continuous electric power. This type of solution can be part of an effort to successfully create ecologic sustainability / carbon capture technology that can be deployed both easily, affordably, and practically. The film that is produced by manipulating nanofibers of cellulose results in a light-weight, low volume, but highly durable and strong material suitable for practical distribution so that such a complex technology as passive carbon-capture could be realistically deployed to communities across the globe effectively as scientists seek answers in the ongoing effort to mitigate the possible harsh effects of global climate change. Such a material would be valuable in ecological sustainability management / carbon capture due to the simple coverage of a film and no energy intensive secondary mechanical process required to sequester CO2 from the atmosphere. 

The full manuscript was just recently accepted this past week (Aug. 30, 2018) and pending approval will be printed in full in an upcoming issue of ACS Chemical Engineering. At the time of entry (Aug. 30) a scientific abstract / research summary was uploaded on the ACS website providing the first publicly available summary of this specific type of research having reached its conclusion.

The experiment was successful in demonstrating a suitable light-weight, strong, and perfectly lightweight material that will enable a simple and straightforward chemical modification of cellulose nanofibril (CNF) in the form of a cellulosic film providingn chemical self-absorbtion and an effective process of passive filtration so as to produce CO2 adsorbent celluloisic materials. 

The CNF films were obtained from two agricultural residues: 1.corn husks and 2.oat hulls. CNF from kraft pulp (3) was used for comparison purposes. Controlled surface silylation was conducted on the preformed CNF films in liquid water under mild conditions using three aminosilanes bearing mono, di, and triamine groups. 

Success of the grafting of the aminosilanes on the CNF films was demonstrated by FTIR and XPS analyses. The results of the contact angle measurements and FE-SEM coupled with EDS showed homogenous coverage by the amino-groups on the surface of the modified CNF films, particularly with the diaminosilane (DAMO). The produced films were thermally stable and when subjected to 99.9% CO2 flow at 25°C, these modified films showed effective adsorption of CO2. After three hours of exposure the adsorbed concentration of CO2 of the CNF films modified with DAMO was 0.90, 1.27 and 2.11mmol CO2 /g polymer for CNF films from corn husks, oat hulls, and kraft pulp, respectively.