Russian scientists have successfully developed a polymer membrane that can absorb oil from water surfaces and can be reused.
Chemists from the SPbU Advanced Technical School have created this new material, which can float on the water surface even in conditions of large waves and strong winds, and can be reused many times, a press release of St. Petersburg State University (SPbU) published on November 28 said.
This polymer membrane is expected to become an important new tool to minimize environmental damage caused by oil spills.
According to the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment , about 10,000 oil spills occur in the country every year, mainly due to accidents, ship collisions, wastewater discharges or intentional dumping, causing serious consequences for marine life and wildlife.
The polymer membrane is designed to absorb light and medium grade petroleum products. The material appears as a white, non-woven synthetic sheet made of ultra-fine fibers less than one micron thick, creating a sponge-like structure.
Made from petroleum-derived materials, the membrane acts as a floating absorbent. As it absorbs oil, the material darkens and turns completely black once the process is complete.
The material has been tested on crude oil and various petroleum fractions with high efficiency: the absorption capacity for engine oil reached 40 grams per gram of material, and for crude oil it was about 20 grams per gram of material, said Anastasia Nosova, a leading expert in the field of smart eco-technology at the School of Advanced Engineering.
The researchers highlight the low cost and reusability as major advantages of this polymer membrane. After absorbing oil, the membrane can be quickly squeezed out, washed and reused.
Even after five cleaning cycles, the absorption capacity of the polymer membrane only decreased by 15 to 20 percent, SPbU University said./.
Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/phat-trien-mang-polymer-hap-thu-dau-nhe-gop-phan-bao-ve-moi-truong-post1079986.vnp
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