Magnetic Biofoams Based on Polyurethane Applied in Oil Spill Cleanup Processes - Natural Polymers, Biopolymers, Biomaterials, and Their Composites, Blends, and IPNs - page 263

environmental recovery of degraded aquatic environments, besides it presents a new
alternative to use the castor oil.

Figure 11. Oil removal capability test using biocomposite (PU-5).

CoNClusioN
A new magnetic and more ecologic material was obtained using castor oil and ma-
ghemite nanoparticles. This material joins magnetic properties of the maghemite with
low density characteristic of the foams. This specific polyurethane foam, obtained
from castor oil and toluene diisocyanate, shows a good oil removal capability. It makes
possible to use this material for cleaning up spilled oil in aquatic environments.

aCKNoWledGmeNts
The authors thank to CNPq, CAPES and FAPERJ for the financial support. The authors
also thank to LNLS by the support on SAXS experiments (D11A-SAXS1 #7086/08,
#8519/09, #8507/09, #9077/10 and #9078/10).

KeyWords

• Biofoams

• lipophilic hydrocarbons

• maghemite nanoparticles

• toluene diisocyanate

• transesterification reaction