Synthesis and oil absorption of Fe₂O₃ /EPDM composites

A new kind of material for oil adsorption was prepared by melt blending with EPDM as the matrix and Fe₂O₃ as the filler. The effects of dicumylperoxide(DCP)and Fe₂O₃ contents on the oil absorptivity were studied. The results show that the oil absorptivity reaches the highest value for the Fe₂O₃/EPDM composite with 3 wt% DCP and 25 wt% Fe₂O₃, while the same is true for Fe₂O₃(calcination)/EPDM composite with 2 wt% DCP and 30 wt% Fe₂O₃. Comparing the two samples with the highest oil absorptivity, the oil absorption rate of Fe₂O₃(calcination)/EPDM composite is higher. The experimental result indicates that the oil absorptivity of Fe₂O₃/EPDM composite is 227% higher than that of EPDM (crosslinked); the oil absorptivity of Fe₂O₃(calcination)/EPDM composite is 64% higher than that of Fe₂O₃/EPDM composite. It is considered that Fe₂O₃ could reduce some intermolecular interaction of polymer chains to form many channels in the network structure and increase the cubage in network structure. So the oil molecule can come into the network structure easily. The absorbent characteristics of Fe₂O₃(calcination)/EPDM are better than those of Fe₂O₃/EPDM.