Ultralight, super-compression, and hydrophobic nanofibrous aerogels from cellulose acetate/polyethylene oxide nanofibers for efficient and recyclable oil absorption

Adsorbent materials with high absorption capacity, stable mechanical properties, greenness and economy are highly desirable for efficient removal and recovery of oil from wastewater. Herein, an ultralight, low-cost and reusable hydrophobic aerogel of cellulose acetate/polyethylene oxide hybrid nanofibers was developed through thermal crosslinking and organosilicon modification. Through thermal crosslinking and an ice crystal template, a hierarchical pore structure was obtained which endowed the aerogel with mechanical stability and oil-absorption capacity. In addition, the structure was further strengthened after chemical vapor deposition of methyl trichlorosilane and good hydrophobicity (contact angle of 135.5°) can be realized. The surface-modified aerogel presented an ultralow density (8.74 mg cm−3), excellent resilience (completely recover to its original height after 50 compression cycles), high absorption capacity (weight gain of 63–128 g g−1) and reusability. Therefore, nanofibrous aerogels with outstanding compressive resilience and reusability make it promising to meet the increasing demand in the field of oil pollution cleaning.