In situ anchoring Zn-doped ZIF-67 on carboxymethylated bacterial cellulose for effective indigo carmine capture

Zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) have been considered as advanced adsorption materials to alleviate dye pollution. However, the application range is limited due to the powder characteristics of ZIFs. The conjugation of ZIFs with nanocellulose is an attractive strategy to construct profitable materials. Herein, we report an in situ anchoring method for preparing novel ZIFs@carboxymethylated bacterial cellulose (ZCMBC) composite films. The resulting ZCMBC composite films show a high ZIFs loading rate and satisfactory selective indigo carmine removal efficiency. With simple methanol washing, ZCMBC composite films retain a high removal efficiency after regeneration. In addition, ZCMBC composite films also show excellent mechanical properties. The proposed adsorption mechanism and the universality of this in situ anchoring method are also discussed, indicating their application potential in the dye-contaminated wastewater treatment field.