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Improved Natural Sorbents for Toxic Substance Remediation
Georgia Tech, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
TECH BRIEF
Modification of surface chemistries of natural sorbents improves performance and environmental viability for use in natural disasters.
TECHNOLOGY SUMMARY
Background:Remediation methods for natural disasters, such as oil spills, need to consider the physical location of the spill, ecosystem fragility, and economic priorities. Current remediation methods for oil spills meet some of these considerations but fail to address the others. Both natural and synthetic materials are used as sorbents; natural sorbents are more cost-effective and environmentally friendly, but they are not as effective in selective oil sorption due to their hydrophilic nature. Technology: Researchers from the Georgia Tech School of Materials Science and Engineering have improved the performance of natural sorbents with a new approach to surface modification. This method transforms cellulosic products, such as cotton, into more hydrophobic materials better suited for oil sorption applications. The transformation is achieved by deposition of inorganic species on the product surface using volatile metalorganic precursors. The transformed cellulosic products are able to perform at full capacity in real-world conditions.
AREA/MATURITY/AWARDS
Primary Application Area: Energy, Efficiency, Resilience
Technology Development Status: Concept
Technology Readiness Level: TRL 6
SHOWCASE SUMMARY
Organization Type: Academic/Gov Lab