Biodegradable porous organosilicone‐modified collagen fiber matrix: Synthesis and high oil absorbency

ABSTRACT We used hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide as a phase transfer catalyst (PTC) to enhance the effectiveness of a heterogeneous reaction system composed of collagen fiber (CF) and organosilicone modifying agents including epoxy‐polydimethylsiloxane (ES) and/or γ‐glycidoxypropylthrimethoxysilane (GS), in order to improve oil sorption behaviors of the modified products as sorbents. The effects of PTC dosage, organosilicone species or its dosage on the degree of modification of CFs were studied, and the optimum conditions were determined. Subsequently, the surface chemistry and porous structure of the prepared sorbents were thoroughly characterized, and their oil sorption behaviors were also investigated. It was confirmed that both their hydrophobicity‐oleophilicity character and pore structures could be significantly improved by introducing PTC agent and modulating the species or amount of organosilicone, resulting in improved oil sorption behaviors. In addition, the organosilicone modified CF matrix possessed acceptable reusability and biodegradability, and can be implemented as an eco‐friendly sorbent for oil spill cleanup. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018, 135, 46264.