Selective Oil Sorption Capacity of Compressed Cotton Nonwoven Mats Modified With Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer

ABSTRACT Cellulose is a biodegradable, environmentally friendly, inexpensive, and renewable polymer. Thus, cellulosic materials are used to mitigate accidents related to oil spills on the surfaces of reservoirs. In this study, we present a material for the selective absorption of petroleum products. This material is based on a highly porous cellulose compressed mat modified with glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) and lauryl methacrylate (LMA) copolymers. Scanning electron microscopy shows that modification of cotton mats results in uniform defect‐free polymer coatings formed on the surfaces of fibers. The findings demonstrate that the modified material exhibits superhydrophobic and oleophilic properties, featuring water contact angles of up to 160°, water absorption of less than 1 g/g, and the capacity to absorb petroleum products of up to 40 g/g. The efficiency of petroleum product sorption is influenced by the materials free volume as well as the density and viscosity of the absorbed medium. The stability of the superhydrophobic state of modified materials after 24 h of exposure to aggressive media indicates the potential for using these materials in oil spill recovery from seawater.