Designing super-fast trimodal sponges using recycled polypropylene for organics cleanup

<p dir="ltr">Sorbent pads and films have been commonly used for environmental remediation purposes, but designing their internal structure to optimize access to the entire volume while ensuring cost-effectiveness, ease of fabrication, sufficient strength, and reusability remains chal...

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Main Author: Junaid Saleem (14670322) (author)
Other Authors: Zubair Khalid Baig Moghal (14670325) (author), Gordon McKay (1755814) (author)
Published: 2023
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author Junaid Saleem (14670322)
author2 Zubair Khalid Baig Moghal (14670325)
Gordon McKay (1755814)
author2_role author
author
author_facet Junaid Saleem (14670322)
Zubair Khalid Baig Moghal (14670325)
Gordon McKay (1755814)
author_role author
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Junaid Saleem (14670322)
Zubair Khalid Baig Moghal (14670325)
Gordon McKay (1755814)
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2023-08-29T09:00:00Z
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv 10.1038/s41598-023-41506-6
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Designing_super-fast_trimodal_sponges_using_recycled_polypropylene_for_organics_cleanup/26571118
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv CC BY 4.0
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Engineering
Environmental engineering
Environmental sciences
Environmental biotechnology
Sorbent Films
Environmental Remediation
Polypropylene (PP)
Micropores
Macro-voids
3D Cavities
Selective Dissolution
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Designing super-fast trimodal sponges using recycled polypropylene for organics cleanup
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv Text
Journal contribution
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
text
contribution to journal
description <p dir="ltr">Sorbent pads and films have been commonly used for environmental remediation purposes, but designing their internal structure to optimize access to the entire volume while ensuring cost-effectiveness, ease of fabrication, sufficient strength, and reusability remains challenging. Herein, we report a trimodal sorbent film from recycled polypropylene (PP) with micropores, macro-voids, and sponge-like 3D cavities, developed through selective dissolution, thermally induced phase separation, and annealing. The sorbent has hundreds of cavities per cm2 that are capable of swelling up to twenty-five times its thickness, allowing for super-fast saturation kinetics (within 30 s) and maximum oil sorption (97 g/g). The sorption mechanism follows a pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Moreover, the sorbent is easily compressible, and its structure is retained during oil sorption, desorption, and resorption, resulting in 96.5% reuse efficiency. The oil recovery process involves manually squeezing the film, making the cleanup process efficient with no chemical treatment required. The sorbent film possesses high porosity for effective sorption with sufficient tensile strength for practical applications. Our integrated technique results in a strengthened porous polymeric structure that can be tailored according to end-use applications. This study provides a sustainable solution for waste management that offers versatility in its functionality.</p><h2>Other Information</h2><p dir="ltr">Published in: Scientific Reports<br>License: <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0" target="_blank">https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0</a><br>See article on publisher's website: <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-41506-6" target="_blank">https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-41506-6</a></p>
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
id Manara2_83a30f6a58544b5121cd767b3b146bb8
identifier_str_mv 10.1038/s41598-023-41506-6
network_acronym_str Manara2
network_name_str Manara2
oai_identifier_str oai:figshare.com:article/26571118
publishDate 2023
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spelling Designing super-fast trimodal sponges using recycled polypropylene for organics cleanupJunaid Saleem (14670322)Zubair Khalid Baig Moghal (14670325)Gordon McKay (1755814)EngineeringEnvironmental engineeringEnvironmental sciencesEnvironmental biotechnologySorbent FilmsEnvironmental RemediationPolypropylene (PP)MicroporesMacro-voids3D CavitiesSelective Dissolution<p dir="ltr">Sorbent pads and films have been commonly used for environmental remediation purposes, but designing their internal structure to optimize access to the entire volume while ensuring cost-effectiveness, ease of fabrication, sufficient strength, and reusability remains challenging. Herein, we report a trimodal sorbent film from recycled polypropylene (PP) with micropores, macro-voids, and sponge-like 3D cavities, developed through selective dissolution, thermally induced phase separation, and annealing. The sorbent has hundreds of cavities per cm2 that are capable of swelling up to twenty-five times its thickness, allowing for super-fast saturation kinetics (within 30 s) and maximum oil sorption (97 g/g). The sorption mechanism follows a pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Moreover, the sorbent is easily compressible, and its structure is retained during oil sorption, desorption, and resorption, resulting in 96.5% reuse efficiency. The oil recovery process involves manually squeezing the film, making the cleanup process efficient with no chemical treatment required. The sorbent film possesses high porosity for effective sorption with sufficient tensile strength for practical applications. Our integrated technique results in a strengthened porous polymeric structure that can be tailored according to end-use applications. This study provides a sustainable solution for waste management that offers versatility in its functionality.</p><h2>Other Information</h2><p dir="ltr">Published in: Scientific Reports<br>License: <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0" target="_blank">https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0</a><br>See article on publisher's website: <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-41506-6" target="_blank">https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-41506-6</a></p>2023-08-29T09:00:00ZTextJournal contributioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersiontextcontribution to journal10.1038/s41598-023-41506-6https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Designing_super-fast_trimodal_sponges_using_recycled_polypropylene_for_organics_cleanup/26571118CC BY 4.0info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:figshare.com:article/265711182023-08-29T09:00:00Z
spellingShingle Designing super-fast trimodal sponges using recycled polypropylene for organics cleanup
Junaid Saleem (14670322)
Engineering
Environmental engineering
Environmental sciences
Environmental biotechnology
Sorbent Films
Environmental Remediation
Polypropylene (PP)
Micropores
Macro-voids
3D Cavities
Selective Dissolution
status_str publishedVersion
title Designing super-fast trimodal sponges using recycled polypropylene for organics cleanup
title_full Designing super-fast trimodal sponges using recycled polypropylene for organics cleanup
title_fullStr Designing super-fast trimodal sponges using recycled polypropylene for organics cleanup
title_full_unstemmed Designing super-fast trimodal sponges using recycled polypropylene for organics cleanup
title_short Designing super-fast trimodal sponges using recycled polypropylene for organics cleanup
title_sort Designing super-fast trimodal sponges using recycled polypropylene for organics cleanup
topic Engineering
Environmental engineering
Environmental sciences
Environmental biotechnology
Sorbent Films
Environmental Remediation
Polypropylene (PP)
Micropores
Macro-voids
3D Cavities
Selective Dissolution