Utilising Cellulose Acetate Derived from Cotton Waste for Efficient Oil Removal in Water

Abstract

One of the most popular textile materials is cotton, and cotton waste makes up about 24% of all textile waste. For a thriving recycled cotton sector, recycled cotton has a high potential and suitable beginning material. The recycling of cotton waste offers a sustainable solution for its conversion into functional materials. Cellulose, a major constituent of cotton wools, was extracted and subsequently acetylated to produce cellulose acetate, which served as an oil adsorbent. This study aimed to extract cellulose from cotton waste and functionalise it through an acetylation process, resulting in cellulose acetate for oil adsorption applications. The methodology involved bleaching used cotton with hydrogen peroxide, followed by hydrolysis with sulphuric acid to obtain cellulose. Acetylation was then performed using acetic acid to synthesize cellulose acetate. The resulting products were characterized using infrared spectroscopy to confirm functional groups, thermal analysis to determine thermal stability, and powder X-Ray diffraction to observe crystallinity. The cellulose acetate exhibited a broader range of decomposition temperature compared to the unfunctionalized cellulose. The effectiveness of cellulose acetate as an oil adsorbent was evaluated by testing its ability to remove engine oil from water. A noticeable increase in the mass of cellulose acetate before and after the oil adsorption process underscored its efficacy in removing oil from water surfaces. In conclusion, the synthesis of cellulose acetate from cotton waste proved to be a cost-effective and recyclable alternative for oil removal from water surfaces, presenting a viable solution for addressing environmental pollution concerns.