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Project Number 511
Date of Summary February 14, 2006
Subject Tailored Polymeric Materials for Oil Spill Recovery in Marine Environments
Performing Activity Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California, Santa Barbara
Principal Investigator Dr. Arturo Keller and Ms. Victoria Broje
Contracting Agency Minerals Management Service
Estimated Completion Completed
Description This project substantially increased the efficiency of mechanical oil spill recovery equipment by replacing traditional recovery unit materials with polymetric materials that have the highest affinity for oil and are specifically tailored to collect oil from water surfaces. The specific objectives of this research proposal were to determine;
  • The magnitude of the physical processes that govern adhesion of oil to polymetric materials;
     
  • The material(s) that have the greatest affinity for different types of oils at various weathering degrees;
     
  • The optimum shape and roughness (surface pattern) of the recovery surface; and
     
  • The optimum contact time between oil and the recovery surface (rotation speed of the device).

Research experiments were conducted that involve the study of oil affinity and adhesion on polymetric surfaces of various properties and shapes. The Wilhelmy plate technique (Cahn Radian 315) was used to measure the dynamic contact angle, surface tension, surface free energy, surface polarity and amount of adhered oil. Experiments were performed at 0 C and 15 C to simulate Arctic and Temperate regions.
Progress Oil weathering as well as density and surface tension measurements have been completed. Surface Tension measurements were made using a Dynamic Contact Angle analyzer (Cahn Radian 315). Based on Preliminary screening 22 polymeric materials, 7 plastic and elastomers and 2 metals were evaluated. Six test oils (fresh and weathered) were used in the evaluations. Based on the results of the evaluations 5 materials (Polypropylene, Polyethylene, Aluminum, Hypalon and Neoprene) were selected for full-scale testing at Ohmsett in Aug and Oct 2005.

The full-scale tests at Ohmsett were successfully completed. The final report has been accepted by MMS. This project is complete.
Progress
AA (74 pages)   Tailored Polymeric Materials to Increase Oil Spill Recovery in Marine Environments”, V. Broje, A. Keller, Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 74 pp., December 2005
AB (4 pages)   Broje, Victoria. Keller, Arturo. "A Method to Characterize Materials to Be Used On Oleophilic Skimmers." Final Report. 4 pp.
 

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