Exploring Hydrophobic and Lipophilic Properties of Magic Sand: Implications for Oil Spill Cleanup

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Interdisciplinary Centers, Units and Projects::Singh Center for Nanotechnology
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Engineering
Chemical Engineering
Environmental Studies
Materials Engineering
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K-12 Education
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Polarlity, hydrophobicity, hydrophilicity, magic sand, oil cleanup, environment
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2023-08-02
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In this study, we investigate the hydrophobic and lipophilic properties of magic sand by examining the behavior of water and oil droplets on magic sand surfaces. The contact angle between water and magic sand exceeds 120 degrees, indicating hydrophobic behavior, while the contact angle between oil and magic sand is significantly less than 90 degrees, suggesting lipophilic characteristics. To establish a comparative analysis, we performed similar tests using regular sand, demonstrating hydrophilic and lipophilic properties with contact angles against water and oil of less than 90 degrees. Leveraging these divergent properties, we conducted a simulated oil spill cleanup employing magic sand, resulting in a notable reduction of oil levels in water as the magic sand readily absorbed and sank with the oil.

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Singh Center for Nanotechnology
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