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Figure 1: Adsorption of a drop of waste oil within seconds by a leaf of the floating fern Salvinia molesta. Abbildung 1 © W. Barthlott, M. Mail/Universität Bonn
Figure 1: Adsorption of a drop of waste oil within seconds by a leaf of the floating fern Salvinia molesta.
14.12.2023

Self-driven and sustainable removal of oil spills in water using textiles

Researchers at the ITA, the University of Bonn and Heimbach GmbH have developed a new method for removing oil spills from water surfaces in an energy-saving, cost-effective way and without the use of toxic substances. The method is made possible by a technical textile that is integrated into a floating container. A single small device can remove up to 4 liters of diesel within an hour. This corresponds to about 100 m2 of oil film on a water surface.
 
Despite the steady expansion of renewable energies, global oil production, oil consumption and the risk of oil pollution have increased steadily over the last two decades. In 2022, global oil production amounted to 4.4 billion tons! Accidents often occur during the extraction, transportation and use of oil, resulting in serious and sometimes irreversible environmental pollution and harm to humans.

There are various methods for removing this oil pollution from water surfaces. However, all methods have various shortcomings that make them difficult to use and, in particular, limit the removal of oil from inland waters.

Researchers at the ITA, the University of Bonn and Heimbach GmbH have developed a new method for removing oil spills from water surfaces in an energy-saving, cost-effective way and without the use of toxic substances. The method is made possible by a technical textile that is integrated into a floating container. A single small device can remove up to 4 liters of diesel within an hour. This corresponds to about 100 m2 of oil film on a water surface.
 
Despite the steady expansion of renewable energies, global oil production, oil consumption and the risk of oil pollution have increased steadily over the last two decades. In 2022, global oil production amounted to 4.4 billion tons! Accidents often occur during the extraction, transportation and use of oil, resulting in serious and sometimes irreversible environmental pollution and harm to humans.

There are various methods for removing this oil pollution from water surfaces. However, all methods have various shortcomings that make them difficult to use and, in particular, limit the removal of oil from inland waters.

For many technical applications, unexpected solutions come from the field of biology. Millions of years of evolution led to optimized surfaces of living organisms for their interaction with the environment. Solutions - often rather unfamiliar to materials scientists and difficult to accept. The long-time routine examination of around 20,000 different species showed that there is an almost infinite variety of structures and functionalities. Some species in particular stand out for their excellent oil adsorption properties. It was shown that, e.g., leaves of the floating fern Salvinia molesta, adsorb oil, separate it from water surfaces and transport it on their surfaces (Figure 1, see also the video of the phenomon.).

The observations inspired them to transfer the effect to technical textiles for separating oil and water. The result is a superhydrophobic spacer fabric that can be produced industrially and is therefore easily scalable.

The bio-inspired textile can be integrated into a device for oil-water separation. This entire device is called a Bionic Oil Adsorber (BOA). Figure 2: Cross-section of computer-aided (CAD) model of the Bionic Oil Adsorber. The scheme shows an oil film (red) on a water surface (light blue). In the floating cotainer(gray), the textile (orange) is fixed so that it is in contact with the oil film and the end protrudes into the container. The oil is adsorbed and transported by the BOA textile. As shown in the cross-section, it enters the contain-er, where it is released again and accumulates at the bottom of the container. See also the video regarding the oil absorption on the textile, source ITA).
 
Starting from the contamination in the form of an oil film on the water surface, the separation and collection process works according to the following steps:

  • The BOA is introduced into the oil film.
  • The oil is adsorbed by the textile and separated from the water at the same time.
  • The oil is transported through the textile into the collection container.
  • The oil drips from the textile into the collection container.
  • The oil is collected until the container is emptied.

The advantage of this novel oil separation device is that no additional energy has to be applied to operate the BOA. The oil is separated from the surrounding water by the surface properties of the textile and transported through the textile driven solely by capillary forces, even against gravity. When it reaches the end of the textile in the collection container, the oil desorbs without any further external influence due to gravitational forces. With the current scale approximately 4 L of diesel can be separated from water by one device of the Bionic Oil Adsorber per hour.

  • It seems unlikely that a functionalized knitted spacer textile is cheaper than a conventional nonwoven, like it is commonly used for oil sorbents. However, since it is a functional material, the costs must be related to the amount of oil removed. In this respect, if we compare the sales price of the BOA textile with the sales prices of various oil-binding nonwovens, the former is 5 to 13 times cheaper with 10 ct/L oil removed.
    Overall, the BOA device offers a cost-effective and sustainable method of oil-water separation in contrast to conventional cleaning methods due to the following advantages:
  • No additional energy requirements, such as with oil skimmers, are necessary
  • No toxic substances are introduced into the water body, such as with oil dispersants
  • The textiles and equipment can be reused multiple times
  • No waste remains inside the water body
  • Inexpensive in terms of the amount of oil removed.
  • The team of researchers from the ITA, the University of Bonn and Heimbach GmbH was able to prove that the novel biomimetic BOA technology is surprisingly efficient and sustainable for a self-controlled separation and automatic collection of oil films including their complete removal from the water. BOA can be asapted for open water application but also for the use in inland waters. Furthermore, it is promising, that the textile can be used in various related separation processes. The product is currently being further developed so that it can be launched on the market in 2-3 years.

 

Source:

ITA – Institut für Textiltechnik of RWTH Aachen University

(c) SITIP
25.04.2022

Sitip at Performance Days

  • Focus on the embossing technique applied to the recycled fabrics collection of the NATIVE Sustainable Textiles line

Performance Days, the leading trade fair on the latest trends in the development of fabrics for the functional textile industry, has as main focus the PERFORMANCE FORUM, where the most recent innovations and developments are presented with a prize awarded to the winner of the category chosen for the current year, which for 2022 will be “The Journey to Carbon Neutrality - CO2 Reducing Technologies and Measuring Tools”.

Protagonists are therefore all those materials that contain carbon in reduced form and the strategies/technologies that companies implement to ensure the reduction of CO2 emissions during production and how these reductions are actually measured (through energy saving, careful use of resources, use of more sustainable materials, local production and other technological and production measures).

  • Focus on the embossing technique applied to the recycled fabrics collection of the NATIVE Sustainable Textiles line

Performance Days, the leading trade fair on the latest trends in the development of fabrics for the functional textile industry, has as main focus the PERFORMANCE FORUM, where the most recent innovations and developments are presented with a prize awarded to the winner of the category chosen for the current year, which for 2022 will be “The Journey to Carbon Neutrality - CO2 Reducing Technologies and Measuring Tools”.

Protagonists are therefore all those materials that contain carbon in reduced form and the strategies/technologies that companies implement to ensure the reduction of CO2 emissions during production and how these reductions are actually measured (through energy saving, careful use of resources, use of more sustainable materials, local production and other technological and production measures).

In this sense, Sitip’s strategy for reducing CO2 emissions and maximizing the use of resources is based on consolidating and optimizing the layout and logistics of the production plants, installing a cogeneration plant and a new generation smoke smoke abatement system and the transition to an energy-saving lighting system.

Regarding products, at Performance Days Sitip brings its latest innovations with an absolute focus on the embossing technique, a particular system of mechanical processes that can also be used on the recycled items from the NATIVE Sustainable Textiles line, a technology that is applied to fabrics produced with recycled yarns and chemicals with low environmental impact, implementing the GRS standard (Global Recycle Standard), result of the journey towards sustainability implemented by the company.

The collection of embossed designs combines performance, style and sustainability: thanks to special mechanical processes that combine heat and pressure, the fabric is embossed with geometric and design motifs for a more structured and palpable texture.

Source:

SITIP

Marabu to be climate neutral from July 2021 (c) Marabu GmbH & Co. KG
01.07.2021

Marabu to be climate neutral from July 2021

Marabu is one of the first ink manufacturers to achieve climate neutrality. All Marabu Business Units will, where possible, make a specific contribution to achieve the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with PROJECT GREEN and therefore participate in the Green Deal.

Marabu is one of the first ink manufacturers to achieve climate neutrality. All Marabu Business Units will, where possible, make a specific contribution to achieve the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with PROJECT GREEN and therefore participate in the Green Deal.

"We are safeguarding the future of the next generations and are proud that we have managed to be a climate neutral company from July 2021 with the Tamm and Bietigheim sites. All our products, whether printing inks or creative colours, are climate neutral, too," explains York Boeder, CEO Executive Committee. "Our so-called PROJECT GREEN combines all measures that are taking us on our journey to climate neutrality. Climate protection is a particular concern for us, to which we have made a binding commitment within the scope of an extensive sustainability strategy. In accordance with our Marabu Green Deal, we avoid and reduce emissions wherever possible, e. g. by using green electricity, energy-saving schemes, mobility concepts or environmentally friendly materials. We offset all unavoidable CO2 emissions by supporting internationally certified climate protection projects. We are continually implementing measures to improve our carbon footprint and update them annually to make their success measurable. We have therefore set ourselves the active goal of reducing our CO2 emissions by another 25 % by 2030."

For decades, Marabu has invested in the research and development of safe production processes, environmentally friendly products, and clean technologies with the aim of preserving the natural environment. Marabu has worked with Climate Partner to analyse all the CO2 emissions from the sites in Tamm and Bietigheim and determine its carbon footprint. Including all product-related factors such as raw materials and logistics, Marabu currently generates approx. 18,500 tons of unavoidable CO2 emissions. This value is the positive result of a number of climate-friendly measures pursued by Marabu, such as the early switch to green electricity in 2007.

Marabu's main activities to avoid and reduce CO2 emissions:

  • Energy - Switching to green electricity from hydropower
  • Mobility - Migration of the company's vehicles to electric and hybrid cars as well as in e-charging stations
  • Production - Use of renewable energies and resource-efficient production processes
  • Raw materials - Replacing critical substances with environmentally friendly alternatives for new and existing products
  • Transporting - Climate-neutral freight carriers and lower-emission transport methods like shipping or road transport replace air freight wherever possible
  • Product technology - Modern, low-emission products
Source:

Marabu GmbH & Co. KG

Sustainable leadership for GtA with new Monforts Montex wide width lines (c) AWOL Media
GtA Managing Director Andreas Niess
27.07.2020

Sustainable leadership for GtA with new Monforts Montex wide width lines

Following the successful commissioning of two new Monforts Montex wide-width stenter lines and additional environmental management equipment at its plant in Germany, GtA – Society for Textile Equipment GmbH – is aiming to be the first textile finishing company to become entirely CO2-neutral in the manufacture of all of its products by 2025.

GtA is a partner company to Germany’s large-format digital printing fabric leader, Georg and Otto Friedrich GmbH, which has has this year been able to considerably expand its portfolio due to the new Monforts lines.

Headquartered in Gross-Zimmern, close to Frankfurt, Georg and Otto Friedrich GmbH and its partners in Germany have an annual production of 37 million square metres of warp knits for a range of end-use applications, including garments, automotive interiors and technical textiles, but increasingly with a concentration on digital printing substrates.

Fault-free textiles

Following the successful commissioning of two new Monforts Montex wide-width stenter lines and additional environmental management equipment at its plant in Germany, GtA – Society for Textile Equipment GmbH – is aiming to be the first textile finishing company to become entirely CO2-neutral in the manufacture of all of its products by 2025.

GtA is a partner company to Germany’s large-format digital printing fabric leader, Georg and Otto Friedrich GmbH, which has has this year been able to considerably expand its portfolio due to the new Monforts lines.

Headquartered in Gross-Zimmern, close to Frankfurt, Georg and Otto Friedrich GmbH and its partners in Germany have an annual production of 37 million square metres of warp knits for a range of end-use applications, including garments, automotive interiors and technical textiles, but increasingly with a concentration on digital printing substrates.

Fault-free textiles

A new standard in pure white, 100% clean and fault-free textile substrates has been demanded by this market in recent years due to the rapid growth in digitally-printed banners and billboards – often referred to as ‘soft signage’.

The substrates of choice for digital printing are 100% polyester warp knits which are resilient and allow excellent take-up of inks, and vibrant colours and clear and precise images to be achieved with digital printing techniques. The knitted construction also has the advantage of elasticity, which is a plus in terms of flexibility for installers.

Critically, the warp knitted fabrics have extremely smooth surfaces which is becoming increasingly important due to the general move away from PVC coatings which were the standard in the past.

It was to finish these fabrics for Georg and Otto Friedrich GmbH as well as providing such services for many other customers, that the GtA plant in Neresheim, Baden-Württemberg, was established in 2015.

The purpose-built plant on a greenfield site was initially equipped with a fully-automated, 72 metre long Monforts installation comprising a washing machine integrated with a 3.6 metre wide, seven-chamber Montex stenter. The line quickly went from single to double shift production and then to 24/7 operation  to meet demand.

Expanded widths

Building on the success of this installation, GtA has now installed two more Montex stenter lines – both in expanded working widths of 5.6 metres and purpose-built at Montex GmbH in Austria.

A six-chamber Montex unit is combined with a washing machine to guarantee the purity of the substrates, while a five-chamber line is integrated with a wide-width coating machine. This new coating capability at GtA has led to a number of new additions to the Georg and Otto Friedrich DecoTex range for digital printing, including wide width fabrics with flame retardant, antimicrobial and non-slip finishes.

The new Montex stenter lines benefit from all of the latest innovations from Monforts, including the Smart Sensor system for the optimised maintenance planning of key mechanical wear components on the stenters. A comprehensive overview of the condition of all parts at any time is now available for operators within the highly intuitive Qualitex visualization software.

With Qualitex, all article-specific settings can be stored and the formulations for thousands of treatment processes called up again at any time. Individual operators can also personalise their dashboards with the most important machine functions and process parameters.

Environmental commitment

GtA is run by a seasoned team of textile professionals led by Managing Director Andreas Niess.

“We have received excellent service from Monforts from the outset and we were happy to place the order for these two new lines as part of our ongoing cooperation,” he says. “With all of the latest Monforts advances in technology we are fully in control of all production and quality parameters with these lines, as part of our significant commitment to innovative environmental technology.”

The GtA plant, which operates in near-cleanroom conditions, has also been equipped with proprietary technology to fully exploit the Monforts air-to-air heat recovery systems that are now standard with Montex stenters.

“Around 30 per cent of our investment volume at the site goes to energy-saving measures and we are sure that this commitment is worthwhile,” Mr Niess says. “As an example, our integrated heat recovery system fully exploits the waste heat from the process exhaust air and the burner exhaust gases of the Monforts stenters, allowing us to achieve an exhaust air temperature of  between 30 to 34°C, compared to what would conventionally be between 140 to 160°C. Another focus has been on exhaust air purification technology and here too, the latest technology has been installed with integrated heat recovery elements.”

This, he adds, saves 52% of the energy that would normally be used – equating to 5,800,000 KwH per year. The necessary audits for energy-efficient companies are also carried out annually.

In addition, GtA has purpose-designed the automatic chemical mixing and dosing systems that feed the padders for the key treatments that are carried out on the fabrics through the stenters.

The company is going further, however, in its pursuit of clean production and raw materials.

"We want to be an asset and not a burden on our immediate environment and therefore do not use any additives containing solvents," Mr Niess says. “We were the first to use fully halogen-free flame retardant chemistry, and we use bio-based, finely ground alumina products for the washing process instead of surfactants. PES polyester yarns made from recycled material are also increasingly used and the latest additions to our raw materials portfolio, the RC-Ocean products, are made from recycled sea plastic.

“We are now planning a combined heat and power plant for the production of electrical energy and heat and we will also build a photovoltaic system that converts solar radiation into electrical energy. GtA wants to be the first textile finishing company to be CO2-neutral in the manufacture of all of its products by 2025. The complete heat supply and heating for the 13,000 square metre production hall, as well as the office building and the hot water supply for the domestic water, is already energy-neutral. We are convinced that this commitment will pay off in the long term and our positive business development proves that sustainability and business profitability are perfectly compatible.”

In addition to the products for Georg and Otto Friedrich GmbH, GtA  offers its manufacturing capacities for other customers as a contract service.

All products are manufactured in accordance with Öko-Tex Standard 100, product class 1 and the company is also involved in the research and development of new sustainable manufacturing processes, in cooperation with many regional universities and funding project partners.

Source:

AWOL Media for A. Monforts Textilmaschinen GmbH & Co. KG