US-Egypt Cooperative Research: Synthesis and evaluation of porous polymers for absorbing petroleum spills based on recycled poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET)

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1135101 This project supports a cooperative research project by Dr. Witold Brostow of the Department of Materials Science & Engineering and Dr. Jose Perez, Department of Physics at the University of North Texas (UNT), Denton and Dr. Ayman Mohamady Atta at the Egyptian Petroleum Research Institute (EPRI) in Cairo, Egypt. They plan to study the Synthesis and evaluation of porous polymers for absorbing petroleum spills based on recycled poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET)Intellectual Merit: The practical importance of absorption of petroleum spills is obvious well recognized. However, understanding of interactions between petroleum and absorbents is poor. One of the consequences is a small number of absorption - desorption cycles that extant petroleum sorbers can survive. The PIs will synthesize a variety of sorbents involving alkyl acrylates (octyl, dodecyl and octadecyl) copolymerized in turn with styrene, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid and olefines. Poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET) will be recycled and fibers made from the recyclate. Subsequently, the copolymers will be grafted on nonwoven fibers of PET by two procedures: thermal and photochemical grafting. Properties of the prepared sorbents will be evaluated, including crosslink density, sorption time, sorption capacity, effects of repetitive sorption-desorption cycles and flexibility. Absorbed compositions will be studied by Raman spectroscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy to characterize interactions of petroleum components with each polymer sorber. Connections of the sorption capacity to sorber material porosity, surface roughness and surface area will be determined by atomic force microscopy at the UNT. The UNT team has several capabilities indispensable for the project for characterization of the sorbers in particular. The EPRI partners have previous experience in dealing with oil spills and thus have a clear set of requirements for oil sorbers, and also have a track record in polymer synthesis including development of porous polymers. They will be able to provide unique resources for the project in addition to those from the UNT. Broader impacts: Two potential outcomes from this project can be pertinent for protection of the environment: one is development of polymers with oil absorption capability and the second is using PET which is now being thrown out into the environment as waste. There are large amounts of PET waste; here in the US all 2 liter soft drink bottles are made from PET, and of course not only in this size and not only bottles. Using recycled PET as one of the starting materials will result in less petroleum used in making virgin polymers, lower cost of making polymeric sorbers than from virgin polymers only and less PET thrown into environment as waste. Advantages of the development of sorbers that can be used in more absorption- desorption cycles are clear. Five US graduate and undergraduate students will participate in the research project at UNT and at EPRI in Egypt, and will gain an international outlook on science and technology. Instructional articles in the Journal of Materials Education are expected to result from the project, providing the educators and students with pertinent knowledge on petroleum composition and properties, on oil spills, on development of porous polymers and on characterization of polymer-based materials.