Affiliation:
1. College of Materials Science and Engineering, Fujian University of Technology, Fuzhou 350118, China
2. Fu Jian Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials Processing and Application, Fuzhou 350118, China
3. Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials and Products of Universities in Fujian, Fujian University of Technology, Fuzhou 350118, China
Abstract
Microalgae-based materials have gained significant attention considering their rich resources, cost-effectiveness, and environmental friendliness. Herein, iron-rich microalgae (Chlorella pyrenoidosa, CP) were treated by hydrothermal reaction under alkaline conditions to remove the protoplast and obtain a hollow shell with an FexOy core inside. Then, the iron-rich microalgae-based aerogel (Fe-CP aerogel) was fabricated through a freeze-drying process. The as-prepared Fe-CP aerogel exhibited superior adsorption performance, and the maximum adsorption quantity for Cu2+ could reach 208.3 mg/g due to the synergistic adsorption of the hollow shell of CP cells and FexOy core. The Fe-CP aerogel also possessed super-hydrophilicity and displayed high separation efficiency (over 99%) when used for separating different oil/water emulsions. Moreover, the existence of FexOy endowed the Fe-CP aerogel with photo-Fenton activity, thus exhibiting excellent antifouling performance. The prepared Fe-CP aerogel could be considered an ideal adsorbent, with green, efficient, low-cost, and regenerative properties, and has the potential for the practical treatment of wastewater.
Funder
the Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province