Investigation of Absorption Capacity of Surface Modified PU Sponges for Oil Spills Using Different Silane Coating Agents

Today’s marine oil spills are causing environmental concerns on a global scale. In order to effectively remove such pollutants, various absorbent materials with two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) structures and super-wetting properties have been developed. However, there are significant difficulties in desorption of the absorbed oil from these materials. The strong adsorption of oil components on the surface of the material limits both the efficiency of sorbent materials and the potential for reuse. In this study, polyurethane (PU) sponge adsorbents coated with different silane agents were fabricated to treat oil spills. Four different types of silanes Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), Octadecyltrichlorosilane (ODTCS), Methyltrichlorosilane (MTCS) and Dodecyltrimethoxysilane (DTMS) were used as silane agents. For the prepared test specimens; silane binder ratios of 0.1%, 0.5% and 1% were used in three different ways, respectively. The coating temperatures were 25°C, 40°C and 55°C and the coating times were 15 minutes, 30 minutes and 45 minutes. The contact angles and absorption capacities of the obtained PU sponge adsorbents with water were measured. In addition, their surface morphologies were examined by SEM analysis. The data obtained showed that the best absorption capacity for 81 g was achieved in the coating with PU-MTCS silane agent when 1% silane agent, 25 °C reaction temperature and 30 minutes time were applied.