Preparation and Characterization of Carex meyeriana KunthCellulose Nanofibers by Electrospinning

Abstract

Carex meyeriana Kunth is a renewable cellulose resource with abundant reserves in nature and has a large research space, but its application is limited and still under development. Hence, Carex meyeriana Kunth is worth developing. Carex meyeriana Kunth's cellulose is abbreviated as CMKC. This study aims to produce cellulose nanofibers (CMKN) from CMKC by electrostatic spinning. The electrostatic spinning solution was prepared by mixing the self-made cellulose solution with 15% polyacrylonitrile, and a CMKN was obtained by electrostatic spinning. The influence of adding cellulose concentration, voltage, the receiving distance, and the pushing speed on the fiber surface morphology was considered. In the tests, the feed rate of the spinning parameters varied in the range of 0.2–1.0 mL/h, the distance from the tip to the acquisition board varied in the range of 10–25 cm, the voltage was 15–25 kV, and the relative humidity was 65%. The fibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The optimal process route was explored. At 21 kV, 20-cm receiving distance, and 0.5 mL/h pushing speed, the spun nanofibers have a smooth surface, a high overall orientation, strong uniformity, and fiber diameter. According to XRD, infrared spectroscopy, and the single-fiber tensile strength test, the crystallinity of cellulose decreases and the tensile strength increases after the transformation from cellulose to nanofiber. Through chemical and mechanical means, we effectively removed the non-cellulose components and increased the cellulose content. The cellulose in the nanofiber is type I. Response surface diagrams help to understand the interaction of these parameters. Langmuir adsorption isotherm is the best fitting model for MB removal by CMKN. The kinetic model is better explained using a pseudo-second-order model. It can be seen from the experiment that the best dye removal conditions are 30℃, MB solution concentration 40mg/L, shock time 90min, 15% cellulose nanofilm removal rate is 63.24%.