Research on the preparation and oil absorption of silk fiber aerogels
Aerogels,recognized as the lightest solid material in the world,possess outstanding characteristics such as low mass,low density,high specific surface area,high porosity,high adsorption capacity,and low thermal conductivity.They are widely used in various fields including petrochemicals,insulation,construction materials,outdoor apparel,aerospace,military applications,and oil spill adsorption.In recent years,aerogels have increasingly been utilized as oil absorbents in the field of liquid oil adsorption.Typically,aerogels are synthesized from organic,inorganic,or hybrid molecular precursors through sol-gel processes and specific drying techniques.However,the preparation of most aerogels is often hindered by high raw material costs,complex processing procedures,and poor mechanical properties.Therefore,developing aerogels which are cost-effective,easy to process,exhibit good mechanical properties and have high adsorption efficiency has become a research trend.With the rapid advancement of industrialization,the demand for petroleum has surged across various industries,leading to an increase in oil spill incidents during extraction and transportation.Oil spills can cause irreversible damage to natural ecosystems,severely polluting marine environments,impacting human health,and devastating the habitats of marine animals.This can result in significant marine biodiversity loss.The leakage of crude oil leads to extensive contamination in affected areas,disrupting maritime transportation and causing substantial economic repercussions.In addition to oil spill accidents,improper handling of industrial oily wastewater and organic solvents poses a serious threat to environmental safety and human health.Microfibrillated silk fibers and microfibrillated aramid fibers were added to deionized water and stirred at room temperature to obtain a uniform suspension.Acetic acid was then introduced to adjust the pH(3-4)of the suspension,followed by the addition of a silane coupling agent(VTMO)while stirring at 700 r/min for 3 h.The suspension was poured into molds and frozen at-22 ℃ for 10 h.Subsequently,a vacuum freeze-drying process was conducted at-60 ℃for 48 h to prepare silk fiber-based aerogels.This study presented an innovative approach to fabricating multifunctional composite aerogels by recycling waste silk fibers and mixing them with microfibrillated aramid fibers.The composite aerogels were constructed through the entanglement of fibers,demonstrating excellent oil absorption properties and reusability.This made them as a sustainable product.Natural fiber-based aerogel materials were successfully fabricated from silk and aramid microfibers.Using VTMO as a hydrophobic modifier,a naturally-derived silk fiber-based aerogel adsorbent material was developed through a solution modification method,exhibiting excellent formability,mechanical properties,and superhydrophobic characteristics.Scanning electron microscopy indicated that the constructed aerogel possessed a uniform multilayered three-dimensional porous network framework.Infrared spectroscopy analysis confirmed successful silanization of the aerogel,with a water contact angle of up to 154°,reflecting good hydrophobic performance.Mechanical property tests demonstrated that the material maintained structural stability,with a maximum compressive stress of 12.10 kPa.The constructed aerogel exhibited exceptional oil absorption capacity,with an adsorption ratio reaching 164 g/g and an oil retention rate of 84％.The aerogel can be recovered and reused through direct external force.The research introduces an innovative method for assembling waste fibers into aerogels applicable to various areas including self-cleaning and oil absorption.This strategy may also be extended to other waste fiber-based porous materials to faciliate the production of multifunctional aerogels with desirable application properties.
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维普
