ISIS Neutron and Muon Source Data Journal

Real-Time Neutron Imaging of Liquid Absorption in Oxidized Cellulose Absorbents

Abstract: Current spill kits rely on synthetic polymeric absorbents that are costly, inefficient, and environmentally harmful. Cellulose, the natural building block of plants from agricultural waste, is a greener option but normally only soaks up hydrophilic liquid. By making small, targeted chemical changes, cellulose can be tuned to take up not just hydrophilic liquid, but also oils, solvents, acids, and bases. This experiment will use IMAT neutron imaging to watch, in real time, how different liquids move inside sheets of native and modified cellulose. Unlike conventional tests, IMAT shows where the liquid goes and how fast it spreads, not just how much is absorbed. This work will systematically reveal how tweaking native cellulose can turn it into a versatile absorbent for many kinds of spills, opening the door to greener replacements for polymeric-based absorbents.

Principal Investigator: Ms Noor Aina Pinjaman
Local Contact: Dr Ranggi Ramadhan
Experimenter: Dr Wan Nur Aini Wan Mokhtar
Experimenter: Dr Winfried Kockelmann
Local Contact: Dr Sylvia Britto
Experimenter: Dr Wan Nurfadhilah Binti Zaharim

DOI: 10.5286/ISIS.E.RB2610406

ISIS Experiment Number: RB2610406

Publisher: STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source

Data format: RAW/Nexus
Select the data format above to find out more about it.

Data Citation

The recommended format for citing this dataset in a research publication is as:
[author], [date], [title], [publisher], [doi]

For Example:
Ms Noor Aina Pinjaman et al; (2026): Real-Time Neutron Imaging of Liquid Absorption in Oxidized Cellulose Absorbents, STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, https://doi.org/10.5286/ISIS.E.RB2610406

Data is released under the CC-BY-4.0 license.