Alginate-oil gelator composite foam for effective oil spill treatment

Abstract

Oil spills threaten ecosystem and health seriously. Porous foams have been proved as ideal candidates for oil absorbents, however, many with poor oil retention (re-bleeding). Here, we creatively developed a composite foam oil absorbent capable of oil absorption and oil gelation, based on porous alginate foam and hydroxyl aluminum stearate oil gelator. The microstructure of alginate foam can be adjusted by the addition of t-butanol in the solvent, and long alkyl chains of gelator endow foam skeleton with good hydrophobicity, avoiding secondary pollution from traditional hydrophobic chemical modification. Interconnected skeleton decorated by oleophilic gelators contributes to high oil absorption. Oleophilic gelator can self-assemble into 3D network to entrap oils to form gels, giving rise to effective oil retention, realizing the integration of high oil absorption and oil retention. The natural abundant, low-cost composite foam would be promising for tackling oil spills.