Biodegradable nanofibrillated microcellular PBS/PLA foams for selective oil absorption

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Science
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Traditional oil-adsorption materials often cause secondary pollution.
• Developing clean and biodegradable alternatives is crucial for environmental remediation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate fully biodegradable nanofibrillated poly(butylene succinate)/poly(lactic acid) (PBS/PLA) foams.
• To achieve outstanding and selective oil-adsorption performance.
• To provide an eco-friendly oil-adsorption solution.

Main Methods:

• Utilized supercritical CO2 foaming technology for eco-friendly fabrication.
• Prepared PBS/PLA composites with nanofibrils (approx. 100 nm diameter) via hot-stretching post-extrusion.
• Investigated improvements in crystallization rate and rheological properties.

Main Results:

• Achieved high foamability with an expansion ratio up to 38.0.
• Demonstrated outstanding oil-absorption performance (19.2-50.4 g/g) with the F-1%-95 foam.
• Confirmed recyclable oil-absorption characteristics over 20 adsorption-desorption cycles.

Conclusions:

• Successfully fabricated fully biodegradable PBS/PLA foams with excellent selective oil-adsorption.
• The eco-friendly supercritical CO2 foaming method enhances material properties and performance.
• These biodegradable foams offer a sustainable solution for oil spill cleanup and wastewater treatment.