Multitalented Polymer Sops Up Oil Spills—and Insulates a Home An
ultra-lightweight sponge made of clay and a bit of high-grade
plastic draws oil out of contaminated water but leaves the water
behind. And, lab tests show that oil absorbed can be squeezed
back out for use. Case Western Reserve University researchers
who made the material, called an aerogel, believe it will
effectively clean up spills of all kinds of oils and solvents on
factory floors and roadways, rivers and oceans. The EPA
estimates that 10 to 25 million gallons of oil are spilled
annually in this country alone. Spilled oil ruins drinking
water, is a fire and explosion hazard, damages farmland and
beaches and destroys wildlife and habitats. The harm can last
decades. The aerogel is made by mixing clay with a polymer and
water in a blender, said David Schiraldi, chairman of the
Macromolecular Science and Engineering department at the Case
School of Engineering. The mixture is then freeze-dried; air
fills the gaps left by the loss of water. The