The Effect of Fulica Atra Feather on Oil Sorption Capacity of Polyurethane Foam

Abstract

Comparative study of oil absorption using modified polyurethane foam as sorbents performed where Polyurethane type polyester was prepared locally and modified by using the feather of Coot (Fulica atra) Bird. The objective of the study to compare the oil spill removal capability of the pure and modified polyurethane.  Two types of Crude oil brought from Basrah oil fields used in this study, Sorption test in hydraulic oil was also done, the obtained results show that absorption capacity directly proportional to the filler type and used oils according to the difference in the capillary structure of both pure and modified polyurethane and the special structure of feather with stiff central shaft .  The polyurethane foam modified with wing feather has the highest absorption ratio due to changes between contour and fluff feather, the effect of viscosity very obvious in this study on absorption where the viscous oils unable to flow rapidly in to the sorbent due to the high cohesion more than the adhesion between oil and the sorbent materials, Finally, the modified polyurethane foam sorbents has a good buoyancy.

Keywords: Polyurethane, Feather, Crude oil, Oil spill, Fulica atra, Polymer.