Abstract
Abstract This paper is concerned with the design of the electrospinning process to produce efficient polysulfone fibrous sorbents for oil spill cleanup. To this end, a full factorial experimental design was adopted, and consequently two multiple regression models were developed to predict oil sorption capacities of resulting materials. The optimal electrospinning conditions determined by model-based simulation and desirability function approach were as follows: 25 kV (applied voltage), 15 cm (tip-to-collector distance) and 0.75 mL/h (polymer solution flow-rate). The polysulfone fibrous sorbent produced under the optimal conditions was highly porous (93.89%) and yielded the greatest performances for sorption of dodecane (26.60 g/g) and motor oil (39.06 g/g). The advanced recovery of oily liquids from spent sorbents was achieved by centrifugation (66–71%). In addition, a new polysulfone/NiFe 2 O 4 nanostructured fibrous composite was produced by the electrospinning technique. The sorption performances of the composite were 9.20 g/g and 15.11 g/g for the uptake of dodecane and motor oil, respectively. The advantage of the electrospun composite relied in a facile magnetic separation of the spent sorbent from oil/water system. Sorbent materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), water contact angle measurements, infrared spectra and magnetic measurements.
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