Production of cellulose nanofibrils for the development of ultralight cryogels

• Grant number: 25/19844-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: October 01, 2025
• End date: September 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: Rubia Figueredo Gouveia
• Grantee: Emanuel Piveta Pozzobon
• Host Institution: Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais (CNPEM). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 24/21240-4 - Highly porous and oleophilic cryogels obtained from lignocellulosic nanostructures, AP.R

Abstract

The increasing demand for environmentally friendly and high-performance materials has driven the development of cellulosic nanostructures as promising alternatives for technological applications. Cellulose nanofibrils (CNF), derived from renewable sources, stand out for their ability to self-organize into highly porous three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical structures, which can be used in filters for capturing environmental pollutants, such as hydrophobic compounds (oils, organic solvents, etc.). Therefore, this project aims to produce CNF cryogels with different densities using the freeze-drying (ice-templating) method. The cellulose nanofibrils will be analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM), while the morphology and mechanical properties of the porous materials will be evaluated by X-ray microtomography and compression tests, respectively. This approach will enable the control and understanding of the cryogels' properties as a function of density variation, as well as the exploration of the multiple functionalities these structures can offer. Thus, these renewable materials have the potential to be applied in the development of filters for capturing hydrophobic compounds, representing an environmentally friendly alternative to plastic filters derived from non-renewable sources, such as petroleum.