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Hydrophobic Cellulose Aerogels via Silanation for Effective

Oil-Water Separation

Ahmad Faiz Ahmad Hamdan, Hazmi Hariz Haza Hafiz^, Hatika Kaco

Contamination of water has intrigued exceptionally deliberation has threatened towards global society and increasing concern to the discharge of industrial wastewater and oil leakage. This may lead to various catastrophic consequences on ecosystem and climate change. Meanwhile, renewable, economically viable, and abundantly accessible biomass presents an attractive feedstock option for various industrial applications. The biopolymer category, predominantly comprised of polysaccharides, offers nearly boundless polymeric raw materials characterized by exceptional structure and properties. In this study, a biodegradable three-dimensional porous structure cellulose microbeads was successfully fabricated, enhancing their properties through a facile dropping technique. The microbeads underwent surface modification through a silanation process utilizing trimethoxymethylsilane (TMMS) as the silane agent. Subsequently, the surface-modified microbeads were subjected to an oil-water separation process involving different types of oils, and an adsorption study was carried out. The chemical properties of the microbeads revealed from FTIR spectrum analysis confirmed the presence of starch in the cellulose matrix and its composites, along with evidence of silanation using TMMS. The oil/water separation study presented a direct correlation between higher oil concentrations and increased adsorption capacity of silane-functionalized microbeads. Meanwhile, leaching studies unveiled the microbeads' successful manifestation of superoleophilic properties, as revealed by wettability and contact angle analyses. The facile methodology employed for fabricating cellulose-microbeads, functionalized with silane for oil and water separation, showed promising and effective applications in water treatment. Moreover, this approach aligns with sustainability goals by effectively utilizing biomass resources. Therefore, this study is expected to expand the chain of high value-added products and green growth for sustainability, which is in line with key principles of National Biomass Strategy 2020 and Sustainable Development Goals 2030 by United Nations.