Evaluation of flexible postconsumed polyurethane foams modified by polystyrene grafting as sorbent material for oil spills

This work studies the possibility of reusing flexible postconsumed polyurethane foams modified by grafting with polystyrene as a sorbent material for the mitigation of oil spills. Different foams were evaluated via crude oil sorption and retention experiments, density, and morphological analyses. The foams with the best performance were chemically modified by grafting with polystyrene under different conditions (initiator concentration, styrene volume, and reaction time) in a system initiated by oxi‐reduction of Ce(IV) from an amoniacal ceric nitrate solution. A three‐level factorial design was used to study the influence of the variables. The foams were characterized via spectroscopy (XPS/ESCA and infrared) and water and oil sorption. Foam modification via grafting with polystyrene showed to be a viable alternative to increase its oil sorption ability.