A Capsule-Type Reusable Oil Collector for Oil Spill Recovery for Bridging Material Innovation and Practical Design

Oil spills cause severe environmental damage that motivates scientists to explore better and sustainable strategies for cleaner and cheaper remediation techniques. Advances in extreme-wetting materials that selectively absorb oil and yet be water repellent have recently brought about promising results. However, the challenge of practical application persists due to the high costs associated with this technology, the limited oil-absorbing capacity, and the instability of oil retention. An innovative design of capsule-type reusable oil collector (CROC) has been developed to address the current shortcomings of conventional oil collection practices. The CROC can be replaced as a self-contained module and consists of a modified melamine sponge (MMS). The CROC system demonstrated high potential for repeated use (up to 10 times) and achieved an oil collection efficiency of up to 89% during testing in a 1000 L custom-built water pool, with a 0.5 L oil collection per unit when tilted. In our work, we focus on four aspects: (1) MMS integration with the innovative concept of CROC design; (2) theoretical correlation and experimental testing of buoyant force, submergence depth, and tilt angle; (3) performance evaluation with oils of different viscosities in a custom 1000 L water pool; and (4) cyclic reusability of MMS under repeated oil absorption. The combination of MMS with the innovative compact design provides a new route for oil spill cleanup. The technical feasibility of creating a modular CROC unit that can efficiently recover oil is proven through experimental findings, and it also demonstrates its potential for application on an industrial scale. These results indicate that CROC may play an important role in environmental protection by offering a practical, reusable, and scalable solution for oil spill cleanup.