Multifunctional applications of cellulose/sodium alginate aerogel material: Antibacterial, adsorption, and heat insulation

In this work, cellulose aerogel (CellA) was synthesized from raw cellulose derived from coconut peat and sodium alginate wherein zinc ion played as the binder agent. The investigation focused on the alternation of cellulose to sodium alginate ratio, which caused differentiation in characteristic aspects, mechanical strength, and antibacterial capability. Among them, the corresponding ratio of 10:1 (CellA-10 sample) was found to be the optimal one thanks to the prosperous bactericidal properties against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. Besides, the fabricated material also possessed relatively applicable heat insulation of 0.064 W/m.K. Upon the surface modification with stearic acid, the material exhibited better hydrophobicity via the water contacting angle of 113o whilst its adsorption capacity towards organic liquids reaching up to 17 g/g. Conclusively, the obtained results suggest the highly promising synthesized CellA material in environmental remediation and antibacterial or heat insulation sectors.