Oil spill remediation: Selectivity, sorption, and squeezing capacity of silicone composite foams filled with clinoptilolite

Due to the enormous use of oil worldwide, accidental spills occur relatively often, threatening sea ecosystem. A remediation strategy, usually, includes materials macroporous structure, flexibility, and low cost. Furthermore, they need have oleophilic hydrophobic characteristics. All these demands fulfill siloxane matrix foams. The addition a natural zeolite, clinoptilolite, as filler, can improve their sorption characteristics reusability. Silicone composite foams at different clinoptilolite content (35, 40, 45 wt%) been structurally characterized evaluated by determining capacity in several liquids (naphtha, kerosene, pump oil, water). squeezing efficiency tests were performed estimate Compared with unfilled one, filled shown lower capacities very high oil/water selectivity. foam 40 wt% is equal for oil. In contrast, 35 naphtha even higher. foams, other types effective selectivity was proven, implying its superior suitability light heavy oils sorption.