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. |