A Lightweight Sponge that Absorbs Oil from Contaminated Water

Oil spill (image via: thinkquest)

Oil spills are one of the most deleterious environmental impacts caused by human activity. It is a form of pollution and it refers to the release of liquid petroleum hydrocarbons such as crude oil, refined petroleum products, oil refuse etc. into the environment. Estimates show that nearly 10 to 25 million gallons of oil are spilled annually in the United States alone!

It is harmful because it often takes many months or even years to clean up. However a recent innovation by researchers at Case Western Reserve University, Ohio, USA has resulted in a material that might provide a more efficient solution to the problem of cleaning up oil spills.

The material…

Is called Aerogel and it is an ultra-lightweight sponge!

Aerogel ultra lightweight sponge

What does it do?

Absorbs oil from contaminated water, leaving the water behind. And furthermore, the extracted oil can be squeezed out in pure form for further use as well!

How is the material made?

By mixing clay, a polymer and water in a blender. The resulting mixture is then freeze-dried. The water then leaves the material leaving behind an extremely light product which is made up of 96% air, 2% clay and 2% polymer.

The aerogel sponge can be made in granular form, in sheets or in blocks of any shape.

The aerogel sponge…

Is oleophilic. Meaning it loves oil (and hates water). That is the perfect combination for any material that is used to extract oil from water.

No chemical reaction takes place between the sponge and the oil. Therefore the aerogel is effective in freshwater, seawater or even on a surface.

The fact that the absorbed oil can be squeezed out for further use should also be highlighted as this is an advantage over all other materials currently in use for the same purpose.

-A comment would be nice -