Patterned polyaniline/Cu-carboxymethyl cellulose microbeads for photocatalytic application: a Trojan horse approach Paul Kinyanjui Kimani Division of Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Gifu University, Japan, Department of Chemistry, College of Pure and Applied Sciences, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are versatile nano-porous hybrid materials formed through coupling inorganic metal ions or clusters with organic ligands. They are promising functional materials in environmental remediation applications because of their high crystallinity, large porosity, and high specific surface area. However, powdered materials are challenging to use in environmental remediation: their nano sizes may lead to blocking, synthetic methods involve toxic chemicals and use high energy—global warming potential, and scaling to large-scale industrial applications is a challenge. In a quest to utilise MOFs to remediate emerging micropollutants from water while overcoming the challenges associated with their production, we present an environmentally friendly approach for the synthesis of Cu-BDC MOF on the surface of carboxymethyl cellulose microbeads at room temperature, employing solely water-based solvents. By introducing aniline oxidation during the synthetic process, we strategically engineered surface folds on the microbeads, leading to a remarkable increase in their surface area and, consequently, their adsorption capacity. Carboxymethyl cellulose (2% w/v) solution, used as a carrier for 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid (BDC), was dropped into a solution of copper acetate anhydrous. The resulting microbeads contained folds which were patterned with rice-like crystals proved to be Cu-BDC MOF from their XRD patterns. These microbeads (10 mg) were capable of degrading 10 mL of 10 mg/L Congo Red solution in the presence of natural sunlight within 4 hrs. Our innovative synthetic method not only yields high-performance Cu-BDC microbeads but also offers practical advantages by facilitating ease of handling and separation from solution, thus making them an attractive option for industrial applications. Importantly, the complete elimination of toxic solvents in our approach not only aligns with sustainable principles but also reduces potential health risks associated with traditional MOF synthesis practices. This research represents a significant advancement in the field of sustainable materials synthesis, with promising implications for a wide range of applications, most notably in the removal of emerging water pollutants. The environmentally conscious synthetic method we propose has the potential to revolutionize MOF production, offering substantial environmental and health benefits while advancing the field of materials science. References 1. N. A. A. Sani, W. J. Lau and A. F. Ismail, Polyphenylsulfone-based solvent resistant nanofiltration (SRNF) membrane incorporated with copper-1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate (Cu-BTC) nanoparticles for methanol separation, RSC Adv , 2015, 5 , 13000–13010. 2. N. Maslamani, S. B. Khan, E. Y. Danish, E. M. Bakhsh, S. M. Zakeeruddin and A. M. Asiri, Carboxymethyl cellulose nanocomposite beads as super-efficient catalyst for the reduction of organic and inorganic pollutants, Int J Biol Macromol , 2021, 167 , 101–116. 3. Z. Zare-Akbari, H. Farhadnejad, B. Furughi-Nia, S. Abedin, M. Yadollahi and M. Khorsand-Ghayeni, PH-sensitive bionanocomposite hydrogel beads based on carboxymethyl cellulose/ZnO nanoparticle as drug carrier, Int J Biol Macromol , 2016, 93 , 1317–1327.
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