Ferrofluid to combat oil slicks

• Main Authors: JONG HO SUH, WON GOO LEE, YOON KYUN LEE, HACK GI SHIN, TAE OK KIM
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 13.05.1998
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: ADHESIVES; BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CHEMISTRY; DYES; ELECTRICITY; FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS; FOUNDATIONS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; INDUCTANCES; MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROM SOLIDMATERIALS OR FLUIDS; MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROMSOLID MATERIALS OR FLUIDS; MAGNETS; MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FORELSEWHERE; METALLURGY; MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS OF MATERIALS; MISCELLANEOUS COMPOSITIONS; NATURAL RESINS; PAINTS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; POLISHES; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES; SEPARATION BY HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELDS; SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS USING LIQUIDS OR USING PNEUMATICTABLES OR JIGS; SOIL SHIFTING; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE; TRANSFORMERS; TRANSPORTING; TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE

A ferrofluid for removing oil from a water surface is prepared by adsorbing surfactant pref. sodium oleate on the surfaces of magnetic particulates such as magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ) particulates prepared from an acid waste solution; preparing a dispersion of said magnetic particulates by dispersing said magnetic particulates with the surfactant adsorbed into an organic solvent; pref. crude oil kerosene, cyclohexane etc. and adding an amphipathic non-ionic surfactant to said dispersion of the magnetic particulates. A preferred non-ionic surfactant is polyoxyethylene nonylphenyl ether. The ferrofluid has an improved power to disperse oil on a water surface. By using such ferrofluid and an oil slick drawing apparatus equipped with the permanent magnets, the oil can be selectively and effectively removed and recovered without adversely effecting the ecosystem of the sea.