Fabrication of cellulose aerogel for oil spill remediation from balsa wood waste

In this work, oil-absorbing cellulose aerogel was fabricated from balsa wood waste, aiming to enhance the valueadded utilization of biomass waste. Cellulose was extracted using a simple treatment and subsequently formed into aerogel through a freeze-drying process. The material was reinforced with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and modified using a polydimethylsiloxane/n-hexane system to improve mechanical strength and hydrophobicity. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) results confirmed effective removal of hemicellulose and lignin, resulting in a crystallinity index of 82.18%. The obtained materials exhibited a porous structure with a specific surface area of 15.28 m2/g and a pore volume of 0.034 cm3/g, as determined by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis. Mechanical testing demonstrated that PVA reinforcement significantly enhanced the compressive strength compared to non-reinforced materials. Contact angle result revealed pronounced hydrophobicity of modified aerogel, with water contact angles ranging from 150° to 154° after modification. Oil absorption tests showed that the aerogel achieved a high oil uptake capacity of 1.67±0.26 g/g. Owing to its reasonable oil absorption performance, enhanced mechanical properties, and inherent biodegradability, this aerogel exhibits strong potential as an environmentally friendly sorbent for oil spill remediation and sustainable utilization of balsa wood waste.