A SIMPLE AND EFFICIENT METHOD OF POST-CONSUMER POLYURETHANE FOAM COATING FOR OIL SPILL SORPTION IN SEAWATER

Oil spilled at sea is a problem that demands an efficient and economically feasible response. Another apparently unrelated issue is the amount of polyurethane foams accumulated in cities and landfills after their useful life. The present work relates these two problems so one can be used to mitigate the other. Post-consumer polyurethane foams were coated with hexadecanoic acid (HA) and tested for their ability to absorb different oils. The results of coated foams (HA-PC) were compared to unaltered foams (Un-PC). Scanning Electron Microscopy, Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM + EDS), and angle measurements were performed for the characterization of the studied foams. The sorption of oil from Un-PC to HA-PC increased 0.39% in the system with diesel, 226.88% in the system with lubricating oil S46, and 40.88% in the system with 20W40 engine oil. Coating with hexadecanoic acid proved to be a simple, low-cost, and effective surface modification to increase the oil sorption capacity of post-consumer foams.