Removal of water contaminants such as dyes, pharmaceuticals, and heavy metals has acquired great interest. Cellulose-based materials are suitable candidates for producing adsorbents due to their large surface area, high hydrophilicity, high strength, and low thermal properties.^1,2 Cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) can be produced via acid hydrolysis, oxidation, ionic liquid treatment, and enzymatic hydrolysis.³ Also, acid hydrolysis in the presence of inorganic metal halides, such as FeCl₃ and FeCl₂, was investigated for CNC synthesis.³ The composite of cellulose and magnetic nanoparticles affords ease-separation and high adsorption towards water contaminants.^4,5 In the literature, methods for the formation of nanocellulose/magnetic nanoparticle composites have utilized multi-steps of CNC, magnetic particle, and composite productions.⁵ In this work, for the first time, a one-pot reaction was utilized to synthesize the nanocomposites of cellulose and magnetic nanoparticles. Experimentally, microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), HCl, urea, FeCl₃, FeCl₂, and water were used in the reactions, and the reactions were performed under different conditions to obtain magnetic nanoparticles with excellent properties. The size, chemistry, and other characteristics of the developed nanocomposites were assessed using different advanced instruments, such as NMR, DLS, XPS, and FTIR. Results confirmed the nanoscale size and magnetic features of produced cellulose-derived particles. The XRD results showed that two phases of magnetic CNC-based nanoparticles (magnetite and hematite) were developed at a low temperature of the reaction, while magnetite was the major one in the CNC-based nanoparticles produced at a high-temperature reaction. The interaction of the generated magnetic nanoparticles with heavy metal ions was systematically analyzed using a QCM-D instrument. This presentation will include discussions on the synthetic, properties and applications of magnetic nanocomposites.

Professor pedram fatehi

Canada Research Chair, Lakehead University

Appearances