Facile Elaboration of Wet Cellulose Film as Catalyst Support of MnO x Nanoparticles for the Catalytic Oxidation of Dyes in Absence of Light

In the present work a remarkably simple procedure for the elaboration of wet cellulose film containing manganese oxide nanoparticles was developed. The films were produced using a mold made by 3D printing using cellulose dissolved in an ionic liquid, which allows the production of thin and homogeneous films of different shapes, types and designs which cannot be made using conventional techniques. Thanks to this possibility, the final catalytic object can be implemented in specific reactors. Manganese oxide nanoparticles were prepared as a colloidal solution by a redox/sol-gel procedure and then deposited on the cellulose films by wet impregnation. The catalytic film obtained was tested in the decomposition of a dye, indigo carmine (IC), in the absence of light. The influence of the pH of the solution on the decomposition rate was investigated. IC total decomposition was measured after 1-h reaction at pH below 3. At pH = 2, no deactivation of the catalyst was observed even after four decomposition cycles. This work provides a new strategy to design cellulose-based catalysts for dye removal from wastewater.