Volume expandable sorbent material for capture of organic fluids and solvents and methods of making the same
A compact, highly expandable sorbent made from polymeric materials is contemplated. The resulting sorbent can absorb more than 20 times its original volume owing to an internal foam-like structure having micron-level voids bisected by internal struts which themselves have nano-level pores. Further, this sorbent can be compressed and reused multiple times, thereby making it an ideal substance to facilitate separation of disparate fluids, such as oils floating on or within an aqueous solution.
1 . A polymeric foam synthesized from high internal phase emulsion precursor with inert diluent, wherein the high internal phase emulsion precursor contains oil phase consisting of monomers 2-ethylhexyl acrylate (EHA), 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate (EHMA), and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA), at a ratio of (25-55):(25-55):(15-25) by mass.
2 . The polymeric foam according to claim 1 , wherein the polymeric foam includes a continuous open-celled network of pores with micrometer-sized voids defined by connecting struts having nanometer-sized pores formed in or on a surface of each of the connecting struts so that the voids and the pores: (i) collapse into irregular shapes when the polymeric foam is dry and (ii) expand into cellular, circular, or spherical shapes when the polymeric foam is exposed to an aqueous solution having a discrete oil or hydrocarbon phase dispersed therein.
3 . The polymeric foam according to claim 1 , wherein the inert diluent is toluene.
4 . The polymeric foam according to claim 3 , wherein the toluene concentration in the oil phase was varied from greater than 0 wt. % to equal to or less than 80 wt %.