Sains Malaysiana 49(9)(2020): 2141-2148

http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2020-4909-12

Lignin-Coated Polystyrene/Trichloromethylsilane Absorbent for Oil Spill Cleanup

(Penyerap Polistirena/Triklorometilsilana Bersalut Lignin untuk Pembersihan Tumpahan Minyak)

NUR AMALINA AZHAR¹, NADIA ADRUS¹, WAN AIZAN WAN RAHMAN¹ & ROHAH A. MAJID²*

¹School of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor Darul Takzim, Malaysia

²Centre for Advanced Composite Materials, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor Darul Takzim, Malaysia

Received: 16 January 2020/Accepted: 10 May 2020

ABSTRACT

The study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of lignin-polystyrene/ trichloromethylsilane (TL-PS) absorbent in removing oil spillage from wastewater. Lignin powder obtained from the delignification of oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) was coated with PS emulsion (PSE) at various concentrations (2, 4, 6, & 8 mL) in order to bind the powder into an aggregated form. Later, L-PS was exposed to trichloromethylsilane (TCMS) via chemical vapour deposition method (CVD) at fixed 7.5 min exposure time to form TL-PS absorbent. The wettability of TL-PS was determined by conducting water contact angle (WCA) measurement and oil sorption capacity. It was found that TL-PS4 sample (immersed in 8 mL PSE) had the highest WCA value (134.10°) and oil sorption capacity (52%) in comparison with L-PS4 (immersed in 8 mL PSE without TCMS) with WCA value of 99.10° and oil sorption capacity of 40%. Meanwhile, the disappearance of hydroxyl group (OH) at peak 3429 cm^-1 and appearance of siloxane bonds (R-Si-O) at peak in range of 1000 - 1100 cm^-1 and 3.9 - 4.0 ppm had confirmed the substitution occurred between these groups, as shown by the spectra obtained from attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Thermal stability of TL-PS4 (onset degradation temperature at 252 °C) was higher when compared with lignin (onset degradation temperature at 40 °C), as showed by the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Meanwhile, the surface of absorbent had change from smooth (L-PS4) to rough (TL-PS4) corresponding to the deposition of silane particles onto the surface of L-PS after the exposure with TCMS, as shown by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results suggested that TL-PS has a promising potential to be used as an absorbent for oil spill cleanup.

Keywords: Chemical vapour deposition; lignin; oil spillage; polystyrene; trichloromethylsilane

ABSTRAK

Kajian ini telah dijalankan untuk menentukan keberkesanan serapan lignin-polistirena/triklorometilsilana (TL-PS) dalam mengasingkan tumpahan minyak daripada sisa air buangan. Serbuk lignin yang diperoleh daripada proses nyahlignin tandan kosong kelapa sawit (OPEFB) telah disalut dengan emulsi PS (PSE) pada kepekatan yang berlainan (2, 4, 6 & 8 mL) untuk mengikat serbuk ke dalam bentuk bergumpal. Kemudian, L-PS didedahkan kepada triklorometilsilana (TCMS) melalui kaedah pemendapan wap kimia (CVD) pada masa yang ditetapkan iaitu 7.5 minit waktu pendedahan bagi menghasilkan penyerap TL-PS. Tahap pembasahan TL-PS telah ditentukan dengan menggunakan pengukuran sudut permukaan air (WCA) dan peratusan kapasiti penyerapan minyak. Bahan sampel TL-PS4 (yang direndam di dalam 8 mL PSE) menunjukkan nilai WCA yang tertinggi (134.10º) dan peratusan kapasiti minyak penyerapan meningkat kepada kira-kira 52% berbanding dengan L-PS4 (direndam dalam 8 mL PSE tanpa TCMS) dengan nilai WCA bersamaan 99.10° dan kapasiti penyerapan minyak pada 40%. Sementara itu, penyingkiran kumpulan hidrosil (OH) pada puncak 3429 cm^-1 dan kehadiran ikatan siloksana (R-Si-O) pada puncak dalam lingkungan 1000 - 1100 cm^-1 dan 3.9 - 4.0 ppm mengesahkan penggantian telah berlaku antara kumpulan ini, seperti yang ditunjukkan oleh spektra analisis spektroskopi inframerah (ATR-FTIR) dan resonans magnetik nuklear (NMR). Kestabilan TL-PS terhadap suhu (suhu permulaan degradasi pada 252.41 °C) adalah lebih tinggi apabila dibandingkan dengan lignin (suhu permulaan degradasi pada 40 °C), seperti yang ditunjukkan oleh analisis haba gravimetrik (TGA). Sementara itu, permukaan penyerap telah bertukar dari permukaan yang licin (L-PS4) kepada permukaan yang kasar (TL-PS) sepadan dengan pemendapan zarah silina ke permukaan L-PS selepas terdedah kepada TCMS, seperti yang ditunjukkan oleh mikroskop pengimbasan elektron (SEM). Keputusan ini mencadangkan bahawa TL-PS berpotensi untuk digunakan sebagai penyerap bagi pembersihan tumpahan minyak.

Kata kunci: Lignin; polisterina; teknik pemendapan wap kimia; triklorometilsilina; tumpahan minyak

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*Corresponding author; email: r-rohah@utm.my