title: Highly flexible magnetic composite aerogels prepared by using cellulose nanofibril networks as templates.
abstract: Nanostructured cellulose nanofibrils can form ductile or tough networks that are suitable templates for the creation of materials with functional properties. In this work, a facile method has been developed for the preparation of magnetic hybrid cellulose aerogels. The preparation processes followed by two steps, firstly, preparation of cellulose hydrogel films from LiOH/urea solvent, then CoFe2O4 nanoparticles were synthesized in the porous structured cellulose scaffolds. After being freeze-dried, CoFe2O4/cellulose magnetic aerogels were obtained. The porosity of the composite aerogels ranged from 78 to 52% with pore size distribution in a few tens of nanometers. The internal specific surface areas were around 300-320 m2/g, and the densities were in the range of 0.25-0.39 g/cm3. The hybrid aerogels showed improved mechanical strength, superparamagnetic properties. Unlike solvent-swollen gels and ferrogels, the magnetic composite aerogels were lightweight, flexibility, high porosity and with large specific surface area and could be expected to be used in many fields.
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratory of Food Colloids and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, and School of Chemical and Material Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China.
authors.forename: Shilin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Qiufang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Dandan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.forename: Tengfei
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Xiaoya
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D002482:Cellulose / Q000737:chemistry*; D003035:Cobalt / Q000737:chemistry*; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D005782:Gels; D060328:Magnetic Phenomena; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D005290:Ferric Compounds; D005782:Gels; D003035:Cobalt; D002482:Cellulose