Enhanced Removal of Oil Droplets from Oil-in-Water Emulsions Using Polyethylenimine-Modified Rice Husk

摘要: Although several nano-materials have been used to adsorb oil droplets in water, preparing these materials requires complex procedures and expensive reagents. Their implication the environment also remains unclear. Thus, this study, we propose develop efficient, inexpensive environmental-friendly oil-removing adsorbents. To end, select an agricultural waste, rice husk (RH), as adsorbent. enhance performance, RH are modified with a biocompatible cationic polymer, polyethylenimine (PEI). The as-prepared PEI–RH was characterized using SEM, FT-IR, TGA, water. found exhibit much higher adsorption capacity than RH. kinetics isotherm were measured analyzed theoretical models. thermodynamic parameters of determined. factors affecting examined including temperature, size PEI–RH, pH, salt surfactants. temperature capacity, whereas smaller exhibited capacity. remained quite stable pH range 5–7, while highly acidic basic conditions not preferable for separate oil-in-water emulsions. addition NaCl slightly improved but presence surfactants decreased PEI–RH. could be reused multiple cycles after simple ethanol washing method. These features enable promising low-cost adsorbent separation