A Synthesis of a Dust Suppressant Using the Cellulose Extracted from Maize Straw

In this paper, a cellulose-based dust suppressant is synthesized using common maize straw as the raw material. In order to obtain high-quality cellulose, a chemical, acid-based treatment is employed for the extraction of cellulose and the removal of hemicellulose and lignin. By using polyvinyl alcohol (PVC) as a monomer, potassium persulfate (K2S2O4) as an initiator, aluminum hydroxide (Al(OH)(3)) as a crosslinker, and glycerol (C3H8O3) as a plasticizer (mass ratios of 28.5%, 1.0%, 0.5%, and 19.0%, respectively), the polyvinyl alcohol grafted cellulose dust suppressant is fabricated in a water bath of 70 C after 5 h. The characteristics of the dust suppressant are measured using a Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, scanning electron microscope, thermogravimetric analyzer, universal testing machine, and wind tunnel simulation platform. At a concentration of 5%, the dust suppressant demonstrates some excellent functionality, such as economic rationality, film-forming capability, compression resistance, temperature adaptability, and wind erosion resistance. As the raw material is easy to obtain and pollution-free, this new dust suppressant has promising market prospects.