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Title: Effect of micronaire on oil sorption capacity of three different types of greige cotton-based nonwoven substrates

Author
item SINGH, VINITKUMAR - Texas Tech University
item Sawhney, Amar
item Reynolds, Michael
item Condon, Brian
item KENDALL JR, RONALD - Texas Tech University
item KITTEN, LUKE - Texas Tech University
item JAIN, AKSHAY - Texas Tech University
item PARAMESWARAN, SIVA - Texas Tech University
item KENDALL, RONALD - Texas Tech University
item RAMKUMAR, SESHADRI - Texas Tech University

Submitted to: American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists Journal of Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/3/2016
Publication Date: 2/15/2017
Citation: Singh, V., Sawhney, A.P., Reynolds, M.L., Condon, B.D., Kendall Jr, R., Kitten, L., Jain, A., Parameswaran, S., Kendall, R.J., Ramkumar, S. 2017. Effect of micronaire on oil sorption capacity of three different types of greige cotton-based nonwoven substrates. American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists Journal of Research. 4(2):1-9.

Interpretive Summary: Off-shore oil drilling has had several disastrous oil spills, worldwide. Losses of human lives, properties, fisheries, environment, and livelihood have been tremendous. Since the British Petroleum’s (BP) gigantic spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 and its aftermath and consequent damages have led the BP, the US universities, and several other organizations to find better methods to clean up the mess created by the oil spills. Although there are quite a few techniques and technologies now available to clean up the spills, the search for a more effective, economical and efficient clean-up method has been ramped up in recent years. This manuscript, based on the joint research by Texas Tech and ARS-USDA and focused to find new and industrial applications for low micronaire greige (raw) cotton, reports that a low micronaire cotton, especially in a fibrous bundle form, is a potentially effective oil sorbent when compared to a high micronaire cotton.

Technical Abstract: Excellent oil sorption properties and high biodegradability of natural fibers make them particularly attractive as a possible alternative to synthetic oil sorbents. The main goal of this study was to compare the oil sorption capacity of cotton-based nonwoven sorbents such as those in the needlepunched form, hydroentangled form, and loose fibers form. Two distinctly different grades of cotton (low micronaire and high micronaire) were used in this study to understand the influence of cotton characteristics as well as nonwoven processes on the oil sorption capacity of the cotton sorbent. In addition, effect of nonwoven processes such as needlepunching and hydroentangling on oil sorption capacity of nonwoven structures was also studied. The loose fibers as well as the nonwoven forms of the low micronaire cotton were found to exhibit higher oil sorption capacity compared to those of the high micronaire cotton.