Abstract:
The purposes of this research were to apply the waste generated during manufacturing of rayon fibers, i.e., rayon fibers and viscose mixture, by mixing with kapok fibers to form an oil adsorbent material. The study investigated the effect of the ratio of mixtures by varying the ratio between rayon fibers and kapok fibers to 6 ratios; 1:0, 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4 and 0:1 by weight. The ratio between viscose mixture and sodium hydroxide was varied to 4 ratios; 1:1, 1:2, 1:3 and 1:4 by weight. The ratio between mixed viscose mixture and mixed fibers was fixed at 10:1 by weight. The oil adsorption efficiency was tested by 3 types of oil; diesel oil, engine oil and bunker C oil which were different in their viscosity and density. The adsorption time in this study was 15 minutes for short term study and 24 hours for long term study according to the guidelines of the standard.(Standard Test Method for Sorbent Performance of Adsorbent ;ASTM : F726-99).The results showed that the efficiency of the oil adsorbent increased with increasing oil viscosity and density and contact time. The range of efficiency of oil adsorbents were between 0.32 0.45, 0.54 0.68 and 0.80 0.96 gram oil per gram adsorbent for diesel oil, engine oil and bunker C oil, respectively. The most efficiency adsorbent were the adsorbent mixed at the ratio between rayon fibers and kapok fibers of 1:3 by weight and the ratio between viscose mixture and sodium hydroxide of 1:4 by weight. The adsorbent weight was increased by 125% for short term study (15 minutes) and the adsorbent mixed at the ratio between rayon fibers and kapok fibers of 1:1 by weight and the ratio between viscose mixture and sodium hydroxide of 1:4 by weight. The adsorbent weight was increased by 162% for long term study (24 hours) However, this range of oil adsorption efficiency was lower than that of the synthetic adsorbent product (Polypropylene) .Therefore, it is inappropriate to use or reuse.