Controlling pore sizes in highly porous Poly(Styrene-Divinylbenzene) sponges for preferable oil sorption

• Published in: Polymer testing Vol. 77; p. 105931
• Main Authors: Koroleva, Marina Y., Shirokikh, Sergey A., Zagoskin, Pavel S., Yurtov, Evgeny V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01-08-2019
• Subjects: Oil sorption; polyHIPE; Polymeric sponge; Pore sizes; Polymeric sponge; Oil sorption; Pore sizes; polyHIPE
• ISSN: 0142-9418; 1873-2348
• DOI: 10.1016/j.polymertesting.2019.105931

Highly porous polymeric materials with an open and interconnected pore structure are prospective for oil spill remediation. These materials are obtained by polymerization of monomers in the continuous phase of highly concentrated emulsions. Poly (styrene-divinylbenzene) (poly (St-DVB) sponges with highly hydrophobic surface, porosity of 95 vol% and controllable pore sizes were obtained by variations of osmotic pressure in the aqueous droplets and the rate of Ostwald ripening in the original emulsions. The structure of sponges and sorption properties were investigated. The critical pore sizes for sorption of oils with different viscosities were determined. In pores smaller than the critical size, the rate of the initial oil sorption is in excess over the rate of the initial water sorption. By using sorbents with required pore sizes, more efficient and more effective cleaning up of oil spills can be achieved.
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•Pore sizes in poly(St-DVB) sponges were controlled by variations of osmotic pressure in aqueous droplets in W/O emulsions.•The sorption rates of oils with different viscosity were compared with the rate of water sorption in poly (St-DVB) sponges.•The critical pore sizes for sorption of oils with different viscosities were determined.•In pores smaller than the critical size, the rate of the initial oil sorption exceeds the rate of the initial water sorption.•More efficient cleaning up of oil spills can be achieved if the sorbent with pore sizes below the critical is used.