Development of modified cellulose aerogels with Schiff bases containing clays for sorption of metal ions present in contaminated water

• Grant number: 24/23595-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: July 15, 2025
• End date: March 14, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Derval dos Santos Rosa
• Grantee: Lana Siqueira Maia
• Supervisor: Artur Jose Monteiro Valente
• Host Institution: Centro de Engenharia, Modelagem e Ciências Sociais Aplicadas (CECS). Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC). Ministério da Educação (Brasil). Santo André , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Universidade de Coimbra (UC), Portugal
• Associated to the scholarship: 23/14598-7 - DEVELOPMENT OF AEROGELS CONTAINING CELLULOSE MICROFIBERS AND CLAY FOR THE METAL IONS REMOVAL PRESENT IN CONTAMINATED WATER, BP.DD

Abstract

The advancement of industrialization and the exponential increase in the population have led to the worsening of environmental stress related to the disposal of contaminated effluents, causing serious damage to the aquatic ecosystem. Among the contaminants, metal ions stand out, which pose risks to human health and environmental balance. The sorption process using adsorbents has been considered a technologically and economically promising alternative for the removal of these metals. The use of three-dimensional porous systems, such as cellulose aerogels, has shown itself to be a platform with interesting potential for the removal of these contaminants. Functionalization strategies with selective binders and the incorporation of nanoclays make it possible to enhance the structural and mechanical properties of the materials, as well as help to increase the removal capacity of these contaminants. Given the scientific and technological importance, the objective of this study is to develop cellulose aerogels modified with a selective Schiff-based binder through crosslinking via Epichlorohydrin, incorporating different concentrations of Brazilian nanoclays (0, 1%, 3%, 5% and 10%, by mass), specifically Chocobobe (Cb) and Paligoskite (Pl), for the removal of toxic metal ions, namely Mn2+, Ni2+ and Zn2+. Analyses of the chemical and morphological composition and sorption capacity of metal ions will be performed for all systems (functionalized cellulose, functionalized cellulose aerogels, and functionalized cellulose composites containing clays). It is expected that the functionalized aerogels will present a high capacity to remove and recover the different metal ions for the treatment of water contaminated with metal ions.