Popped Rice Biochar and Superhydrophobic SiO2 / Popped Rice Biochar for Oil Adsorption

Abstract

A novel biochar, whose precursor is popped rice, was produced to remove oil pollution in water. Popped rice biochar is characteristic with large pores. When popped rice was carbonized at 300 °C, its oil absorption capacity for paraffin oil is up to 10.88 ± 0.51 g/g, being much higher than that of the original popped rice (4.03 ± 0.39 g/g). In order to improve the oil-water separation property of popped rice biochar to absorb oil selectively, epoxy resin was used as a binder to make superhydrophobic SiO2 coated on the surface of popped rice biochar. The water contact angle of superhydrophobic SiO2 / popped rice biochar is 153 ± 0.9°, and it has good oil-absorption capacity with low water-absorption ratio. As the oil-absorption material is environmentally friendly, it will be a good select for the removal of oil pollution.