Development of Nettle–Polypropylene-Blended Needle-Punched Nonwoven Fabrics for Oil Spill Cleanup Applications

Abstract

In this work, the effects of fabric weight, needling density, and blend proportion of nettle and polypropylene (PP) fibers on diesel engine oil and crude oil sorption were studied. Needle-punched nonwoven fabric samples were prepared as per Box and Behnken experimental design. Highest crude oil sorption (23.59 g/g) and diesel engine oil sorption (17.02 g/g) of the fabric were obtained at nettle/PP (30/70) needle-punched nonwoven with lower needling density and lower fabric weight. Further, oil retention capacity of nettle/PP (30/70) needle-punched nonwovens and other factors influencing the oil sorption behavior of textile substrates such as stirring speed, salinity, temperature, and hydrophobicity-oleophilicity were investigated. From the reusability test, it is noted that the sorption capacity of nettle/PP (30/70) nonwoven fabric after the eighth cycle was 9.15 g/g and 8.45 g/g against crude and diesel engine oil, respectively. From this study, it is concluded that nettle/PP (30/70) can be efficiently used for removal of oil spill.

Keywords

• nettle
• polypropylene
• needle punched nonwovens
• oil sorption
• oil retention