Oil adsorbent

• US 3,960,722 A
• Filed: 01/27/1975
• Issued: 06/01/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Idemitsukosan Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Idemitsukosan Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Ohkawa, Hideo, Kaneda, Kazuhisa, Mugino, Yutaka, Tomikawa, Masami, Tsunoda, Akiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Hart, Charles N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cintins, Ivars
• Application Number:
  US05/544,301
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 210/36, 210/40, 210/502, 210/DIG. 21, 252/428, 252/430, 260/2.5 HA, 260/37 R, 260/37 M, 260/42.24, 260/42.46
• US Class Current: 210/680
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/22 comprising organic material
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/681 by addition of solid materials for removing an oily layer on water
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2323/04 Homopolymers or copolymers of ethene
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 9/0066 Use of inorganic compounding ingredients
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 264/17 Molding a foam containing a filler

Abstract

An oil adsorbent comprising a plastic material for eliminating oils present in or on the surface of water through adsorption. Said adsorbent is produced by foaming by a physical means polyethylene containing 30-80% by weight of at least one inorganic calcium compound selected from the group consisting of calcium sulfite and calcium carbonate, to prepare a foamy substance having a density of 0.06-0.10 g/cc and then shaping the substance to have a network structure.

Claims

1. A material for absorbing oil from oil-contaminated water comprising an openwork assembly of elongated strands in intimate contact, said strands having a diameter of about 1-5 mm and being formed of a flexible foam comprising a physically foamed mixture consisting essentially of about 20-70% of a non-crosslinked polyethylene resin and distributed uniformly through said resin about 80-30% of inorganic calcium compound particles, said percentages being by weight.

2. The oil-absorbent material of claim 1 wherein said strand assembly is a substantially reticulated network.

3. The oil-absorbent material of claim 2 wherein the size of the mesh in said network is about 1-2 mm.

4. The oil-absorbent material of claim 1 wherein said calcium compound is at least one of calcium sulfite, calcium sulfate or calcium carbonate.

5. The oil-absorbent material of claim 1 wherein said foam has a density below about 0.10 g/cc.

6. A method of removing oil from oil-contaminated water comprising the step of contacting said water with the absorbent material of claim 1.