Reusable Sponge for Oil Cleanup

Oleo Sponge is reusable, durable and effective in cleaning not only surface but also subsurface oil.

Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory have developed the Oleo Sponge, a material that effectively adsorbs oil from both on and below the surface of water(Credit: Mark Lopez/Argonne National Laboratory)

Most methods for oil cleanup get rid of surface oil, but the amount underneath the surface is much harder to clean up.

Oleo Sponge not only cleans the water from oil but the oil can also be used again along with the recovered oil.

Polyurethane foam is the base material. It is modified by sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS) so that the sponge can differ water from the oil.

A thin layer of metal oxide is created inside the foam, to which oleophilic molecules are attracted to. This affinity for oils is the key to oil cleanup.

Tests showed that the sponge can absorb diesel and crude oil from water, both from the surface and below, with the possibility of the oil being reused after being extracted from the sponge.

Moreover, the sponge doesn’t break while being twisted to squeeze the oil out.

This is not the only use of the sponge. If it is modified with other molecules it could remove other substances from water.

Attached link

Media

Taxonomy

• Treatment
• Environment
• Pollution
• Oceanographic Survey
• water treatment
• Pollution
• Oil & Gas