Micro-cellular polymer foam supported silica aerogel: Eco-friendly tool for petroleum oil spill cleanup

Flexible micro-cellular open porous 3D polymer foam silica aerogel composites with exceptional oil sorption characteristics were prepared by implanting silica aerogel in the interstices of foam substrates. Silica aerogels were engineered from silane precursors namely tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and met...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of hazardous materials 2021-08, Vol.415, p.125548-125548, Article 125548
Main Authors: Renjith, P.K., Sarathchandran, C., Sivanandan Achary, V., Chandramohanakumar, N., Sekkar, V.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
absorption
aerogels
ambient pressure
contact angle
energy efficiency
foams
Hydrophobicity
Methyltrimethoxysilane
Micro-cellular polymer foam
Oil spill cleanup
oil spills
Oil uptake
oils
petroleum
polymers
resorption
silane
silica
Silica aerogel
sustainable technology
Tetraethoxysilane
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Summary:Flexible micro-cellular open porous 3D polymer foam silica aerogel composites with exceptional oil sorption characteristics were prepared by implanting silica aerogel in the interstices of foam substrates. Silica aerogels were engineered from silane precursors namely tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) adopting economical, energy efficient and scalable ambient pressure drying technique. These flexible composites exhibited outstanding structural ruggedness. The foam-aerogel composites deliver superior hydrophobic characteristics in terms of contact angle data. The aerogel composites recorded an oil uptake of 31.3 g per g of the composite for engine oil and the uptake was very swift. Mechanical squeezing enables near complete oil removal from the composites. The foam aerogel composites displayed superior recyclability features, as first time absorption is retained even after 10 cycles of repeated squeezing and re-absorption operations. [Display omitted] •Micro-cellular foam-silica aerogel composites were prepared through ambient pressure drying method.•MFF-Silica aerogel showed the highest oil sorption capacity (31.3 g/g)•Foam-aerogel composites exhibited much enhanced mechanical ruggedness.•The composites displayed excellent recyclability•Oil removal from the composite is just mechanical squeezing which removed entire oil sorbed.
ISSN:0304-3894
1873-3336
DOI:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.125548