Simultaneous removal of rhodamine B and Cr(VI) from water using cellulose carbon nanofiber incorporated with bismuth oxybromide: The effect of cellulose pyrolysis temperature on photocatalytic performance.

A series of biomass cellulose-derived carbon nanofibers (CCNF) were prepared at different pyrolysis temperatures in this study. Subsequently, this CCNF was combined with bismuth oxybromide (BiOBr) to form BiOBr/CCNF composite. The feasibility of BiOBr/CCNF as photocatalyst was investigated for the treatment against organic dye, rhodamine B (RhB) and inorganic metal ion, hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)). The effect of the pyrolysis temperature on the properties (e.g., crystalline structure, functional group distribution, and graphitization degree) of the prepared CCNF was investigated in relation to its photocatalytic performance. A pyrolysis temperature over 800 °C resulted in CCNF with higher degrees of graphitization which was accompanied by a better photocatalytic performance of its composite against RhB and Cr(VI). Their reaction kinetic rates were estimated as 8.15 × 10-2 and 0.21 mmol/g/h, respectively (at the initial concentration of 10 mg/L), while their quantum yield values were 1.56 × 10-6 and 3.83 × 10-6 molecules per photon, respectively. BiOBr/CCNF catalysts were efficient enough to simultaneously remove RhB and Cr(VI) through the generation of active oxidative and reductive oxygen species, respectively. The strategies used in this study offer a new pathway for preparing cost-effective photocatalysts with biomass derived carbonaceous materials for the efficient removal of multicomponent contaminants in water.

High pressure laminates reinforced with electrospun cellulose acetate nanofibers.

In the work, the non-woven cellulose acetate (CA) nanofiber mats were prepared via electrospinning, and CA nanofiber were incorporated into the core layer of the high-pressure laminates (HPLs). When the concentration of CA was 16 wt%, SEM images demonstrated that the morphology of the CA nanofiber mat was the best, with an average diameter of 654±246 nm. When CA nanofiber mats were incorporated into the core layer of HPLs, the mechanical properties of the resulted HPLs composites were significantly improved. Specifically, the tensile strength and elongation at break of the nanofiber mats reinforced HPLs composites increased remarkably to 40.8 ±1.1 MPa and 27.9 ± 0.9 %, respectively, which were nearly 6 times and 4.4 times higher than those of the pure HPLs. Furthermore, the incorporation of the CA nanofiber mats also significantly improved the flame retardancy of the HPLs, which was revealed from the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) results.

Cellulose derived carbon nanofiber: A promising biochar support to enhance the catalytic performance of CoFe2O4 in activating peroxymonosulfate for recycled dimethyl phthalate degradation.

We prepared carbon nanofiber (CCNF) using cellulose as the carbon source in this study and utilized for the first time as the support to enhance the catalytic performance of the cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) for peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation. The catalytic capability of the CoFe2O4/CCNF nanocomposites activated PMS was investigated through degrading dimethyl phthalate (DMP), a classical organic pesticide pollutant, in water media. The influence factors like CCNF content, nanocomposite and PMS dosage, DMP content, and pH value on the degradation speed were systematically investigated and analyzed. Since CoFe2O4 is a spinel structured molecule which is magnetically separable, the reusability of the prepared CoFe2O4/CCNF nanocomposites under multiple cycles was also tested. Besides, the degradation intermediates during the catalytic process were also analyzed and identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) with a possible degradation mechanism. The results indicated that the prepared nanocomposite had promising catalytic capability in degrading DMP, in which the SO4- radicals played the main role as the active oxidation agent. Furthermore, the CoFe2O4/CCNF nanocomposites exhibited very good stability and reusability. The present study provides a clean biochar supported catalyst which could readily enhance the PMS activation efficiency for recycled decontamination of refractory organic pollutants in water media.