High-efficiency mass-transfer Marangoni cellulose hydrogel reactor for the degradation of pollutants

Noble metal nanoparticles have been widely used in catalysis, environmental studies, and other fields. However, the loading of noble metals is challenging because of their unfavorable mass transfer. Herein, a simple, green dual-template method was developed for the synthesis of a Marangoni cellulose hydrogel rotor catalytic reactor (MCR). The rotor had a two-component asymmetrical network structure, which was constructed via different crosslinking methods and enabled the MCR to achieve a fast (6190 r/h) and prolonged (25 min) rotation. In addition, we propose a new refueling method, which only requires 80uL solvent to continue to drive the rotor for over 13 min, effectively prolonging the rotation time of the rotor. During rotation, the speed of the catalyst was greater than that of the substrate, which is conducive for the entry of the substrate into the reactor channel. The spin-induced fluid disturbance promoted substrate replenishment around the catalyst, thereby improving the mass-transfer efficiency and increasing the primary kinetic constant to 16.5-fold of that of the stationary hydrogel while maintaining stability. Therefore, the MCR proposed in this study offers a novel approach for improving the catalytic mass-transfer efficiency of precious metals and exhibits potential application value in remediating environmental pollution and catalysis.