RAPID: Sugar-based Recyclable Phase-Selective Gelators for Oil Spill Remediation

[04:60 . 99]墨西哥湾油井的泄漏将覆盖120英里的海岸线，因此对生态系统产生了巨大的影响。此类灾难的规模凸显了对有效和环保材料的需求，以遏制石油泄漏。在这里，研究人员提出了一种基于糖的环境友好相选择凝胶剂，用于有效遏制石油泄漏和回收石油。相选择性油凝胶（psg），当加入到油/水混合物中时，选择性地分割成油相并将其转化为凝胶。该提议建立在最近的初步结果之上，从甘露醇（一种开链糖）中提取的一类糖两亲体已经显示出能够选择性地凝胶几种油。如图所示，获得的油凝胶（柴油凝胶）不仅可以承受其重量，还可以承受倒置小瓶中顶部的水的重量。实验证明了从散装柴油水混合物中选择性凝胶化柴油并同时回收柴油的效率为80%。因此，它们可能是目前溢油补救技术的潜在替代品。因此，我们建议：a)对开链糖两亲体的相选择性分子凝胶现象进行全面的（基础的和应用的）研究；b)获得优化两亲结构的设计参数（原理），以获得更好的选择性凝胶能力和高效的溢油清理。智力优势：研究人员专注于与溢油应用有关的相选择凝胶现象背后的基础科学。目标是构建生成生物基PTh的基本原理。pi假设开链糖头基团和氢键相互作用可能对油的选择性凝胶化很重要。因此，两亲性结构将相应地变化，以获得设计参数。相选择凝胶的纳米结构（通过透射电镜、扫描电镜和低温透射电镜表征）和凝胶中的分子间相互作用（通过光谱技术探测）将系统地与两亲性结构相关。更广泛的影响：更广泛的科学影响将是在这个项目中合成的廉价和环保的相选择凝胶所提供的应用。从油和水的混合物中选择相凝胶化油可能是遏制和补救海洋石油泄漏的可行方法。此外，相选择性凝胶的可用性可能使工程师和科学家能够设计出这些分子的巧妙用途。PI还将把他们的研究与教育和指导活动结合起来。

1046099JohnThe blowout of an oil well in the Gulf of Mexico is set to cover 120 miles of coastline and hence tremendously affect the ecosystem. The scale of such disasters has highlighted the need for effective and eco-friendly materials to contain oil spills. Here in, the investigators propose the sugar based environmentally benign phase-selective gelation agents for efficient containment of oil spills and recovery of oil as well. Phase selective oil gelators (PSGs), when added to an oil/water mixture, selectively partition into the oil phase and convert it into a gel. The proposal builds on recent preliminary results where a class of sugar amphiphiles derived from mannitol (an open chain sugar) has shown to be capable of selectively gel several oils. As shown in the image, the obtained oil gel (diesel gel) can be strong enough to hold not just its weight but also that of the water on top in the inverted vial. Selective gelation of diesel from bulk diesel water mixture and simultaneous recovery of diesel, with 80% efficiency, was demonstrated. Hence, they can be potential alternatives to the current oil spill remediation techniques. Therefore, we propose a) to conduct a comprehensive (fundamental and applied) study into the phenomenon of phase selective molecular gelation in relation to open chain sugar amphiphiles and b) to obtain design parameters (rationale) for optimizing the amphiphilic structure for better selective gelation ability and efficient oil spill clean up.Intellectual Merit: The investigators focus on the fundamental science behind the phenomenon of phase selective gelation pertaining to oil spill applications. The goal is to construct rationale for generating bio-based PTh. The PIs hypothesize that open chain sugar head groups and hydrogen bonding interactions are likely to be important for selective gelation of oils. Hence, amphiphilic structure will be accordingly varied to obtain design parameters. The nanostructure of phase selective gels (characterized by TEM, SEM, and cryo-TEM) and intermolecular interactions in the gel (probed by spectroscopic techniques) will be systematically related to amphiphilic structure.Broader Impact: The broader scientific impact will be the applications afforded by the inexpensive and eco-friendly phase selective gelators to be synthesized in this project. The phase selective gelation of oil from a mixture of oil and water could be a viable approach for the containment and remediation of oil spills on the ocean. In addition, the availability of phase selective gelators may allow engineers and scientists to devise ingenious uses for these molecules. The PI will also integrate their research with educational and mentoring activities.