Abstract
The present study reports, high-performance polymer absorbents for crude oil and organic solvents based on 3D cross-linked polystyrene-polymethyl methacrylate/divinyl benzene (PS-PMMA/DVB). The preparation of the 3D cross-linked polymer absorbents has been carried out by bulk polymerization method using styrene (S) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) monomers in the presence of DVB with azobisisobutyronitrile as an initiator. The prepared cross-linked polymer absorbents were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetry, and dynamic mechanical analyses. The absorption kinetics, thermodynamics of the absorption process as well as the recyclability of the cross-linked polymer absorbents were investigated in detail. The developed 3D cross-linked PS-PMMA/DVB absorbents have demonstrated excellent absorption capacities for both organic solvents and crude oil. For instance, the developed polymer absorbent (PS-PMMA/DVB [1 wt%]) shows a maximum absorption capacity of 12 g/g for chloroform(,)6 g/g for tetrahydrofuran, and 3 g/g for crude oil. The absorption capacities by the polymer absorbents show a direct relationship with the polarity of the solvents. Moreover, the change of absorption capacity after several repeated cycles of absorption/desorption was only marginal. The demonstrated absorption capacities and the excellent recyclability make polymer absorbents as potential candidates for the oilfield applications and produced water treatments.