Abstract
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•Nanocellulose was used as a template to synthesise magnetic nanoparticles.•Flexible superparamagnetic membrane with 83 % magnetic nanoparticles was produced.•The magnetic membrane used as a low-cost catalyst in an advanced oxidation process.•The magnetic membrane used to remove ∼95 % of dye from water.
In this study, cellulose nanofibers are used as a template to synthesise magnetic nanoparticles with a uniform size distribution. Magnetic nanoparticles are grafted on the surface of nanofibers via in situ hydrolysis of metal precursors at room temperature. Effects of different concentrations of nanofibers on the morphology, the crystallite size of magnetic nanoparticles, and the thermal and magnetic properties of the membrane produced from the cellulose nanofibers decorated with magnetic nanoparticles are examined. The sizes of magnetic nanoparticles produced in this study are below 20 nm, and the crystallite size of the nanoparticles is in the range of 96−130 Å. The flexible magnetic membranes containing a high concentration of magnetic nanoparticles (83−60 wt%) showed superparamagnetic behaviour with very high magnetic properties (67.4–38.5 emu g−1). The magnetic membrane was then used as an environmentally friendly, low-cost catalyst in a sulphate radical-based advanced oxidation process. The membranes successfully activated peroxymonosulphate (PMS) to remove Rhodamine B (RhB), a common hydrophilic organic dye applied in industry. 94.9 % of the Rhodamine B was degraded in 300 min at room temperature, indicating that the magnetic nanocellulose membrane is highly effective for catalyzing PMS to remove RhB.