We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Fabrication of Oil-Absorbing Porous Sponges via 3D Electrospinning of Recycled Expanded Polystyrene with Functional Additive
AI summary Read the abstract
3D electrospun sponges from recycled expanded polystyrene perform comparably to virgin-material sponges for oil-water separation.
In this study, a three-dimensional (3D) porous sponge capable of oil-water separation was fabricated using recycled expanded polystyrene (EPS) through 3D electrospinning, by adding phosphoric acid to the electrospinning solution. The fabrication process was a rapid and efficient single-step process to produce the 3D sponge. In addition, the additive's concentration was also optimized for oil absorption. The fabricated EPS sponge was highly effective in oil-water separation due to its excellent hydrophobic and oleophilic properties. This demonstrates its potential as a sustainable and efficient absorbent to address ongoing oil pollution issues. Moreover, the performance of the recycled EPS sponge was found to be comparable to that of sponges made from virgin polystyrene, suggesting the feasibility of using recycled materials for the production of high-value products. This research presents an efficient method for fabricating 3D sponges from recycled materials, contributing to environmental protection and resource recycling.
More Papers Like This
Removal of nanoplastics from aquatic environments using graphene oxide/chitosan sponges
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed a three-dimensional porous graphene oxide/chitosan sponge with an average pore size of 21.67 µm and evaluated its effectiveness in removing polystyrene nanoplastics (31.1 nm diameter) from aqueous solutions.
Non-Wettable Microporous Sheets Using Mixed Polyolefin Waste for Oil–Water Separation
AI summary Read the abstract
Not relevant to microplastics — this paper describes manufacturing non-wettable porous sheets from recycled polyethylene and polypropylene waste for oil-water separation, focusing on materials recycling rather than microplastic pollution.
Sustainable Solution for Plastic Pollution: Upcycling Waste Polypropylene Masks for Effective Oil-Spill Management
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers synthesized an oil-sorbent pouch from waste polypropylene face masks using spin coating to create microporous and fibrous thin films, demonstrating effective oil-spill cleanup performance. Upcycling pandemic waste polypropylene into functional oil-absorbent materials addresses both the surge in mask waste and the environmental problem of plastic-derived microplastics.
Upcycling of Expanded Polystyrene Waste-Impregnated PVP Using Wet-Phase Inversion for Effective Microalgae Harvesting
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers upcycled expanded polystyrene foam packaging waste into filtration membranes by dissolving it and using wet-phase inversion with PVP, finding the resulting membranes effectively harvested Spirulina microalgae with reduced fouling compared to conventional membrane materials.
Thermal conversion of irradiated LLDPE waste into sustainable sponge-like compounds: a novel approach for efficient trace-level oil–water removal
AI summary Read the abstract
Not relevant to microplastics — this paper develops a sponge-like material from irradiated waste polyethylene via low-temperature pyrolysis in castor oil, testing it as an adsorbent for cleaning up oil spills and organic solvents.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.