a.Key Laboratory of Engineering Plastics, Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
b.National-Local Joint Laboratory for Advanced Textile Processing and Clean Production, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430200, China
c.China School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai 201418, China
jinfeng.wang@wtu.edu.cn (J.F.W.)
zhjm@iccas.ac.cn (J.M.Z.)
收稿:2026-06-30,
录用:2026-07-19,
网络首发:2026-10-10,
纸质出版:2026-08
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Nan, Q. Y.; Chen, L. X.; Zhang, A. Z.; Yin, C. C.; Wang, Y. L.; Wang, J. F.; Wu, J.; Zhang, J. M.; Zhang, J. Efficient removal of water pollutants via flocculation-filtration cascade treatment using cellulose micro-nano materials. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10118-026-3818-z
Qin-Ying Nan, Lin-Xi Chen, An-Zhuo Zhang, et al. Efficient Removal of Water Pollutants
Nan, Q. Y.; Chen, L. X.; Zhang, A. Z.; Yin, C. C.; Wang, Y. L.; Wang, J. F.; Wu, J.; Zhang, J. M.; Zhang, J. Efficient removal of water pollutants via flocculation-filtration cascade treatment using cellulose micro-nano materials. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10118-026-3818-z DOI:
Qin-Ying Nan, Lin-Xi Chen, An-Zhuo Zhang, et al. Efficient Removal of Water Pollutants
Emerging and legacy contaminants
including micro (nano) plastics
perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
dyes
and antibiotics
are pervasive in aquatic environments and seriously threaten both ecosystems and human health. In this study
we developed a sustainable water purification system using renewable cellulose to rapidly remove pollutants through an integrated flocculation-filtration approach. By controlling precipitation dynamics
we engineered cationic cellulose microgels (CNFN-N
+
) with nanofibrous networks as flocculants;
via
air-spinning
we fabricated cationic lignocellulose microfibers (CLCMF) into functional filter papers
creating a dual-function biomass solution for efficient contaminant removal. Featuring a three-dimensional nanofibrous network
CNFN-N
+
actively entrapped and mobilized aquatic pollutants while establishing adsorption bridges between contaminants through synergistic electrostatic/hydrogen-bond interactions
driving their agglomeration into larger clusters. CLCMF can efficiently inte
rcept various pollutants in water through the synergistic effects of electrostatic interactions
hydrogen-bond interactions
and physical blocking effects. The combination of CNFN-N
+
and CLCMF can remove 99.99% of micro (nano) plastics and anionic dyes and has a high removal rate for PFAS and antibiotics in water. This cellulose-based "flocculation-filtration" cascade strategy provides an efficient and fast approach for water purification.
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