An eco-friendly polyurethane foam using a coconut/fossil polyol blend with a kapok ( Ceiba pentandra ) filler for an effective oil spill clean-up

An eco-sorbent polyurethane foam was made using green components, bio-polyol derived from coconut (CO) and organic kapok (KAK) fibre, as fillers in its components. The product was called COKAK foam. The foam was made using an overhead mixing method by mixing polymeric reagents, which include a blend of coconut and fossil-based polyol and organic kapok (Ceiba pentandra) fibre filler in a moulded cup. The results show that the COKAK foam was hydrophobic with a water contact angle of θ = 114°. The composite foam reaches an absorption capacity of 12.01 and 14.11 g·g-1 for engine and bunker oil, respectively. It had highly selective absorption performance in oil-water mix systems, with water absorptions for engine and bunker oil of 0.80-0.88 and 0.55-0.65 g·g-1 only, respectively. Highlighting the remarkable reusability of the foam to maintain its oil absorption capabilities even after 100 absorption-squeezing cycles, which is a vital but frequently overlooked feature to minimise wastes produced after use. Also, it has a high affinity for high-viscosity oil, with bunker oil having 8%-15% higher oil absorption than engine oil. The COKAK foam's simple preparation method, along with the use of sustainable alternatives in its components, is a significant step towards environmentally-friendly oil spill clean-up technologies.