Magnetite Nanoparticles Supported on Interfacially-Active Carbon Black Particles for Oil Emulsification and Electromagnetic Remote Sensing

The adsorption of magnetic particles at the oil-water interface has potential applications in the preparation of magnetically-responsive Pickering emulsions and in the electromagnetic imaging of oil spills. Commercially available para-amino benzoic acid (PABA) functionalized carbon black (CB) particles have tunable interfacial properties and adsorb irreversibly at the oil-water interface. We hypothesize that the carboxyl groups of the PABA attached to CB particles can conjugate with iron salts and can be reduced to synthesize magnetite nanoparticles. We investigate the ability of the composite iron-carbon particles to form oil-in-water emulsions. We propose that the magnetic properties imparted by magnetite and tunable surface properties due to PABA functionalized CB particles make these composite particles attractive agents for oil emulsification. We also demonstrate these particles can work synergistically with hydrophobically modified chitosan (HMC) biopolymer in the chemical herding and enhanced removal of surface oil layers on water.

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation and the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative.