Preparation and properties of self-assembled gels based on electrostatic interactions: Applications for N2/CO2 adsorption and inhibition

Abstract To solve the environmental problems caused by greenhouse gas emissions, a type of oxidized nanocellulose (NC)@chitosan (CS)@silica sol (Sol) gel foam based on electrostatic interactions was obtained by simple blending and freeze drying. The self-assembly process was driven by electrostatic forces between the negatively charged NC and Sol and positively charged CS. The gas adsorption properties of the gel foams under various ratios of constituents were studied by orthogonal experiments. The gel foam had a good adsorption capacity for CO2 at 30 °C. After eight adsorption–desorption cycles, the adsorption efficiency remained above 90%, indicating that the gel foam structure was stable. Infrared (IR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses showed that CO2 adsorption occurred via physical adsorption. The interaction state and adsorption mechanism of CO2 and gel foam adsorption were explained using a molecular dynamics model. In addition, the gel material can be used as a filling material in underground coal mines for low-temperature resistance and to prevent the spontaneous combustion of coal. This conforms to the concept of sustainable development and has significant theoretical research significance.