Using a composite material containing waste tire powder and polypropylene fiber cut end to recover spilled oil.
The superior oil absorption capacity of recycled polypropylene (PP) fiber and waste tire powder were used to recover spilled engine oil. We used ASTM F726-99 method to evaluate oil adsorbing capability of PP fiber and found it to have a large, rapid oil sorption capacity. However, its lack of elasticity dramatically limited that capacity after repeated use. Tire powder, which absorbs less oil more slowly, is more elastic than PP fiber and can be used repeatedly up to a hundred times without losing its oil adsorption capability. We combined PP fiber and tire powder to develop a composite material capable of recovering greater amounts of oil than any of its components. This composite can be use repeatedly for at least 100 times. Thus, the material cost for recovering 1 ton of spilled oil is about USD $0.03, making it very competitive on the market.
Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung Marine University, 142 Haijhuan Road, Nanzih District, Kaohsiung 81157, Taiwan, ROC. ctlin@mail.nkmu.edu.tw
Chitsan
C
Lin
Yu-Jue
YJ
Hong
Allen H
AH
Hu
D000327:Adsorption; D052918:Environmental Restoration and Remediation / Q000379:methods*; D005648:Fuel Oils; D007220:Industrial Waste; D011126:Polypropylenes / Q000737:chemistry*; D012408:Rubber / Q000737:chemistry*; D013696:Temperature; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D005648:Fuel Oils; D007220:Industrial Waste; D011126:Polypropylenes; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D012408:Rubber