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Updated: Apr 12, 2026
Pretreatment of Lignocellulosic Biomass with Low-cost Ionic Liquids
Published on: August 10, 2016
Efficient adsorption of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ionic liquids onto modified cellulose microspheres
Min Xu1, Yinyong Ao1, Shuojue Wang1
1Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Radiochemistry and Radiation Chemistry, Key Laboratory for Fundamental Science, The Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of the Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
Abstract:
A novel sulfonated cellulose microsphere adsorbent (CGS) was prepared by pre-irradiation induced emulsion grafting of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) onto the cellulose microsphere, followed by sulfonation. The resulting CGS exhibited superior adsorption ability toward 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([CnMIM]Cl) ionic liquids (ILs). The adsorption equilibrium could be attained rapidly within 40 min for representative 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([C4MIM]Cl) using CGS with different amounts of SO3H group. The adsorption behavior of CGS toward [C4MIM]Cl was well described by the pseudo-second-order model and the Langmuir model. The maximum adsorption capacity toward [C4MIM]Cl was 1.08 mmol/g in the wide range of pH (4.8-10.1). In addition, the adsorption capacity of CGS toward [CnMIM]Cl increased with the alkyl length of cations of [CnMIM]Cl due to the hydrophobic interaction and cation exchange adsorption. Spent CGS could be easily regenerated by 0.1 mol/L HCl or NaCl. The results indicated that this new adsorbent is useful in removing ILs from wastewater.
