Cellulose nanofibers modified with alkyl ketene dimer for oil absorbent aerogels

Nanofibrillated cellulose consists of interconnected cellulose nanofibers, isolated from wood or agricultural byproducts, which leads to a three dimensional, porous and flexible structure. In this sense, the present work aims to develop hydrophobic aerogels for oil absorbing. Different percentages of alkyl ketene dimcr (AKD) were added to the cellulose nanofiber (CNF) gel in order to partially hydrophobize the surface thereof. After mechanical stirring in an Ultraturrax and two cycles of sonication at 80 watts for 2 minutes, the CNF gel was poured into aluminum dishes and frozen at - 80C for two hours. Then, the samples were freeze-dried for 48 hours. Water and oil absorption capacity was determined both under static and dynamic conditions in an oil-water mixture.