Papers

61,005 results
|
Article Tier 2

A layer-by-layer assembled superhydrophobic composite aerogel for rapid and high-capacity removal of microplastics from beverages

A superhydrophobic composite aerogel was synthesized using a layer-by-layer strategy combining an "egg-box" cellulose nanofiber network with silicone polymers, achieving an impressive polystyrene microplastic adsorption capacity of 555.5 mg/g within 100 minutes—driven primarily by hydrophobic interactions—and demonstrating high stability and reusability for microplastic removal from beverages.

2025 Materials Horizons 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Biobased Composite Aerogels for Efficient Flow-Through Capture of Nanoplastics via Multimodal Interfacial Interactions

Scientists created a new sponge-like filter made from natural materials that can remove nearly 100% of tiny plastic particles from water. These nanoplastics are so small they're invisible to the naked eye but pose potential health risks when they get into drinking water. The filter works efficiently with very little energy, offering a promising way to clean up water contaminated with plastic pollution.

2026 ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
Article Tier 2

High-performance amino-crosslinked phosphorylated microcrystalline cellulose/MoS2 hybrid aerogel for polystyrene nanoplastics removal from aqueous environments

Researchers fabricated a porous aerogel from phosphorylated cellulose and molybdenum disulfide nanosheets functionalized with polyethyleneimine and showed it removes carboxyl-modified polystyrene nanoplastics from water with an adsorption capacity of 402 mg/g, maintaining performance across a range of water chemistries and remaining reusable after multiple cycles.

2025 Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Efficient microplastics adsorption in aqueous environments via bidirectional ordered graphene oxide/nanocellulose aerogels

Researchers developed a new material made from graphene oxide and nanocellulose that can effectively remove microplastics from water. The aerogel absorbed up to 241 milligrams of microplastics per gram of material and maintained over 80% efficiency after 20 reuse cycles. This kind of reusable filter technology could help reduce the amount of microplastics reaching drinking water sources and the food chain.

2024 International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Dialdehyde modified and cationic aerogel for efficient microplastics adsorption from environmental waters

Scientists developed a plant-based aerogel material that can efficiently absorb microplastics from water, achieving removal rates above 90% across a wide range of water conditions. The material maintained its effectiveness after eight reuse cycles, making it a practical and eco-friendly solution. This type of technology could help reduce microplastic levels in rivers, lakes, and reservoirs that supply drinking water.

2023 International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 32 citations
Article Tier 2

Aerogels Fabricated from Wood-Derived Functional Cellulose Nanofibrils for Highly Efficient Separation of Microplastics

Researchers developed aerogel filters from chemically modified wood-derived cellulose nanofibrils that achieved up to 100% efficiency in removing polystyrene microplastics from water. The aerogels captured microplastics through a combination of physical entrapment, electrostatic interaction, and hydrogen bonding, and maintained their effectiveness over eight filtration cycles. The study demonstrates a promising green technology using sustainable materials for addressing microplastic pollution in aquatic environments.

2023 ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Rapid adsorption of directional cellulose nanofibers/3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane/polyethyleneimine aerogels on microplastics in water

Researchers developed a cellulose nanofiber aerogel modified with polyethyleneimine for rapidly adsorbing microplastics from water. The study found that the aerogel reached adsorption equilibrium within just 20 minutes and followed established kinetic and isotherm models. These findings suggest that modified cellulose-based aerogels could serve as effective, green materials for removing microplastic contamination from water bodies.

2023 International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 69 citations
Article Tier 2

Effective removal of nanoplastics from water by cellulose/MgAl layered double hydroxides composite beads

Researchers developed cellulose and layered double hydroxide composite beads to remove nanoplastics from water. The material achieved a maximum removal capacity of 6.08 mg/g through mechanisms involving pore diffusion, hydrogen bonding, and electrostatic interactions, suggesting it could be a promising adsorbent for micro- and nanoplastic removal from water.

2022 Carbohydrate Polymers 78 citations
Article Tier 2

A sustainable layered nanofiber/sheet aerogels enabling repeated life cycles for effective oil/water separation

Researchers developed a sustainable layered nanofiber/sheet aerogel from electrospun polycaprolactone using a gas-inflating method, creating a biodegradable oil absorbent that can be reused across multiple life cycles without releasing microplastics.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodegradable taro stem cellulose aerogel: A simple approach for adsorbing microplastics and dyestuffs contaminants

Scientists created a biodegradable aerogel from waste taro stems that can effectively absorb both microplastics and dye pollutants from water. The material maintained strong performance across different water conditions and could be reused for at least five cycles, offering a green solution for removing multiple contaminants from water simultaneously.

2024 Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Nature-derived hydrogel for microplastic removal

Scientists developed a nature-based hydrogel made from chitin and lignin that can remove nanoplastics from wastewater with very high efficiency, absorbing up to 1,791 milligrams of plastic per gram of material. This sustainable, reusable filter could help reduce the amount of tiny plastic particles that reach drinking water and ultimately the human body.

2025 Advanced Composites and Hybrid Materials 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Cellulose aerogels in water pollution treatment: Preparation, applications and mechanism

This review explores how cellulose aerogels, derived from the most abundant natural polymer on Earth, can be used to treat water pollution including microplastic contamination. Researchers found that these biodegradable materials offer a promising sustainable alternative for water treatment due to their unique porous structure, high surface area, and ease of functionalization.

2025 Advanced bionics. 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Fish Gill-Inspired Bidirectional Porous Polysaccharide Aerogels for Micro/Nanoplastics Removal

Researchers developed a fish gill-inspired bidirectional porous aerogel made from chitosan and other polysaccharides for removing micro- and nanoplastics from water. The biomimetic structure allowed efficient capture of plastic particles across a wide size range while maintaining good water flow. The study presents a sustainable filtration approach using biodegradable materials that could address the challenge of removing tiny plastic particles from freshwater systems.

2025 ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Mucin-Inspired Thermogels for Programmable Nanoplastic Removal in Water Purification

Researchers developed mucin-inspired amphiphilic bottlebrush copolymers that form thermally responsive hydrogels capable of capturing nanoplastics from water, achieving removal efficiencies of 68–100% for polystyrene nanoparticles (20–1,000 nm), with a reversible gel-syneresis cycle enabling both passive filtration and particle recovery for trace analysis.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Mucin-Inspired Thermogels for Programmable Nanoplastic Removal in Water Purification

Researchers developed mucin-inspired amphiphilic bottlebrush copolymers that form thermally responsive hydrogels capable of capturing nanoplastics from water, achieving removal efficiencies of 68–100% for polystyrene nanoparticles (20–1,000 nm), with a reversible gel-syneresis cycle enabling both passive filtration and particle recovery for trace analysis.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Degradable quaternary ammonium salt-modified rice straw cellulose/chitosan composite aerogel for high-efficiency microplastic adsorption

Researchers created a quaternary ammonium salt-modified cellulose/chitosan composite aerogel from discarded rice straw and tested it for microplastic adsorption, achieving high removal efficiency and capacity while using a waste-based feedstock to address an emerging pollution problem.

2025 International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Fish Gill-InspiredBidirectional Porous PolysaccharideAerogels for Micro/Nanoplastics Removal

Inspired by fish gill structure, researchers created a bidirectional porous aerogel from chitosan, cellulose nanofibers, and polydopamine that achieved adsorption capacities exceeding 300 mg/g for micro- and nanoplastics, offering a sustainable bio-based removal material.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Biowaste derived sustainable carbon aerogels/polyvinylidene fluoride composites for effective removal of organic pollutants/oils

Researchers created carbon aerogel composites from biological waste combined with a fluorinated polymer to remove oil spills and organic pollutants from water. The sustainable, low-cost material showed strong performance for environmental cleanup applications, including potential use in addressing plastic-associated contamination.

2023 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Revivable self-assembled supramolecular biomass fibrous framework for efficient microplastic removal

Scientists developed a sustainable material made from chitin and cellulose, two natural compounds, that can efficiently remove multiple types of microplastics from water. The material can be regenerated and reused multiple times without losing effectiveness, making it a practical tool for water cleanup. This type of affordable, eco-friendly filtration technology could help reduce human exposure to microplastics in drinking water.

2024 Science Advances 65 citations
Article Tier 2

Mucin-Inspired Thermogels for Programmable Nanoplastic Removal in Water Purification

Researchers developed mucin-inspired amphiphilic bottlebrush copolymers that self-assemble into micelles and undergo reversible temperature-triggered sol-gel-syneresis transitions to capture nanoplastics from water, achieving removal efficiencies of 68-100% for polystyrene nanoplastics (20-1000 nm) and recovery efficiencies up to 61% for downstream analysis.

2025
Article Tier 2

Eco-friendly lily bulb-derived polysaccharide aerogel for efficient microplastics and nanoplastics removal

Scientists created an eco-friendly filter material from lily bulb polysaccharides that can remove over 93% of microplastics and 96% of nanoplastics from water. The filter maintained its effectiveness for three months of continuous use, working through hydrogen bonding and its porous structure to capture plastic particles. This plant-based approach offers a sustainable and biodegradable alternative to synthetic filter materials for cleaning microplastics from water.

2025 Carbohydrate Polymers 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Synergistic Microplastics Capture and Bacterial Inhibition by a Cationic COF‐Reinforced Chitosan/Tannic Acid Aerogel

Researchers developed a cationic covalent organic framework aerogel made from chitosan and tannic acid that effectively captures microplastics from water while also inhibiting bacteria. The study suggests this low-cost, monolithic aerogel overcomes the limitations of powdered materials and offers a practical, convenient approach for microplastic removal from contaminated water.

2026 Advanced Functional Materials
Article Tier 2

Mucin-Inspired Thermogels for Programmable Nanoplastic Removal in Water Purification

Researchers developed mucin-inspired amphiphilic bottlebrush copolymers that self-assemble into thermogels in water and reversibly capture nanoplastics, demonstrating a programmable, jellyfish-inspired filtration approach for removing nanoscale plastic particles from aquatic environments.

2025
Article Tier 2

Cellulose-Based Aerogels for Environmentally Sustainable Applications: A Review of the Production, Modification, and Sorption of Environmental Contaminants

This review explores how aerogels made from cellulose, a natural plant-based material, can be used to filter pollutants including microplastics from water and soil. While cellulose aerogels are promising because they are biodegradable and come from renewable sources, they need chemical modifications to work effectively in water treatment applications.

2025 Polymers 20 citations