Preparation and Properties of Starch–Cellulose Composite Aerogel

In this study, we conducted research on the preparation of aerogels using cellulose and starch as the primary materials, with the addition of N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) as a cross-linking agent. The chemical, morphological and textural characteristics of the aerogels were found to be influenced by the proportions of cellulose, starch, and cross-linking agent that were utilized. An increase in the proportion of cellulose led to stronger adsorption forces within the aerogel structure. The aerogel showed a fine mesh internal structure, but the pores gradually increased with the further increase in cellulose. Notably, when the mass fractions of starch and cellulose were 5 wt% and 1 wt% respectively, the aerogels exhibited the smallest pore size and largest porosity. With an increase in the crosslinking agent, the internal structure of the aerogel first became dense and then loose, and the best internal structure was displayed at the addition of 3 wt%. Through texture analysis and the swelling test, the impact of the proportion of cellulose and MBA on the aerogel structure was significant. Dye adsorption experiments indicated that MBA affected the water absorption and expansion characteristics of the aerogel by improving the pore structure. Lastly, in tests involving the loading of vitamin E, the aerogels exhibited a higher capacity for incorporating vitamin E compared to native starch.