Presentation_Mr._Sheshadri_Ramkumar

New Markets for Cotton By: Seshadri Ramkumar Texas Tech University, USA

2019 Cotton Association of India Conference, Mumbai, March 7, 2019

What We Do? Mission-linked Research  To make cotton competitive against synthetic fibers

 Our laboratory focuses on finding sustainable and industrial applications for cotton  To find new applications for greige and low micronaire cotton such as sorbent for oil spills  Why? Cotton is a natural and a biodegradable material

Cotton: Projects Underway

Industrial products from cotton Green process for cotton

Oil Spill: A Threat to the Ecosystem • Oil spills occur during transport, production, storage refining, and its use • Oil gets transferred through the food chain 1

• One drop of oil can make up to 25 liters of water unfit for drinking 2 • Permeant effects on soil such as reduction in soil permeability, maximum dry density, optimum water content and strength due to exposure to oil 3 Source: 1.

2.

3.

4.

Sabir, S., Approach of Cost-Effective Adsorbents for Oil Removal from Oily Water. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 2015. 45(17): p. 1916-1945. http://www.tceq.texas.gov/assets/public/permitting/wastewater/factstats.pdf (accessed 11/22/2016) Khamehchiyan, M., A. Hossein Charkhabi, and M. Tajik, Effects of crude oil contamination on geotechnical properties of clayey and sandy soils. Engineering Geology, 2007. 89(3-4): p. 220-229 Oil Spills Fast Facts (http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/13/world/oil-spills-fast-facts/ , accessed on 11/20/2016)

Classification of Oil Sorbents Oil Sorbents

Natural Materials

Polymers

Source: Deschamps, et al. Environmental Science & Technology, 37, 1013-1015, 2003

Processed Materials

Low Micronaire Issue •

Low micronaire results in shortcomings in length

uniformity •

Longer cottons have lower micronaire values

•

Low micronaire cottons (if maturity is low) translates into weaker yarns

“As long as low micronaire problem is there, length uniformity problem will be there” Source: Dr. Mourad Krifa, Kent State University

Persistent Issues Addressed • Low Micronaire: Serious concern for the 2017 cotton • Lubbock: Avg Mic 3.38 • Lamesa: Avg Mic 3.83 (Classing Office Data, Season ending 11/23/17)

• Microplastic Issue: Low Mic Cotton Products Offers Solution

Materials Raw cotton fiber samples were obtained from Kitten Land Company, Lubbock, TX

Oil Used: Raw Crude Oil ( Midland, Texas ) Characteristics of Crude Oil at Room Temperature (25±1 ºC )

Oil

Viscosity (CP)

Density (g/cm3)

Surface Tension (mN/m)

Crude Oil ( Midland ,Texas)

30

0.97

30.39

High Volume Instrument (HVI) Characteristics Strength (g/tex)

Uniformity index (%)

Sample

Micronaire

Length (inches)

Cotton A

3.1

33

28.6

80.1

Cotton B

3.5

36

27.6

81

Cotton C

4.3

36

30.9

83.5

Cotton D

4.4

35

30

81

Cotton E

4.5

36

30.6

83.3

Cotton F

4.6

34

29.1

81

•Micronaire: 1 repeat/ sample and 3 sample / cotton type •Length, Uniformity, Strength and Elongation: 2 repeat/ sample and 3 sample / cotton type

Advance Fiber Information Systems (AFIS) Characteristics Sample

Cotton A Cotton B Cotton C Cotton D

Cotton E Cotton F

Fineness (militex)

Immature Fiber Content (%)

Maturity Ratio

149

8.7

0.84

154

8.4

0.83

167

7.1

0.87

168

6

0.89

173

6.4

0.88

175

5.7

0.89

•Fineness, IFC, Maturity ratio: 1 repeat/ sample and 3 sample / cotton type

ASTM( F726-06)- Standard Test Method for Sorbent Performance of Sorbents

Results & Discussions

Adsorption−interaction of cotton waxes with the hydrocarbons of oil Absorption−oil retention within the fiber matrix causing swelling of fibers Capillary Retention−wicking and physical entrapment of oil between the fibers

Results & Discussions

Results & Discussions

Oil sorption capacity of raw cotton fibers in relationship to fiber characteristics

Results & Discussions

Crude oil sorption by raw cotton in oil-water system

Conclusions In low micronaire cottons, the combination of higher surface area and increased fineness lead to higher sites for surface adsorption and interfiber capillary sorption which in-turn results in higher absorption of oil within the fiber than the coarser and more mature high micronaire cotton fibers

Oil Sorption Oil Sorption by Raw Cotton Batts

Materials & Methods Fibrous Materials 

Raw cotton fibers (Plains Cotton Cooperative Association, Lubbock, TX)

Oil Used 

Non-detergent motor oil, Diesel Motor Oil and Vegetable Oil

Preparation of Sample 

Continuous batt formation of cotton fibers

Oil Characteristics Oil

Non-detergent Motor oil

Diesel Motor Oil

Vegetable Oil

Surface tension*

31.44

27.56

32.92

Density*

0.925

0.878

0.917

( g.cm-3) Dynamic viscosityÂś

0.1398

0.1997

0.0502

ACCEL

Mobil

Crisco

(mN.m-1)

( Pa.s) Source *Kruss

Tensiometer, K-100 SF was used to determine surface tension and density Âś Brookfield LV, DV++, Pro Viscometer was used to determine the viscosity Oil Characteristics were measured at 21 oC

Experimental Setup for Oil Sorption Testing

Results & Discussions

*p < 0.05

BET Surface Area Cotton 1−0.661 m2.g-1 Cotton 2−0.462 m2.g-1

Results & Discussions

Summary 1.

One gram of low micronaire cotton batts absorbs about 50 grams of oil

2. The enhanced oil sorption capacity exhibited by cotton-1(low micronaire) is mainly due to high surface area of the fiber available for adsorption of oil and strong intermolecular interaction of C-H bond

between wax and the oil

Major Outcomes and Societal Impacts

September 4, 2014

Source: http://www.tiehh.ttu.edu/News/Pages/News.aspx

Acknowledgments Special thanks to these supporters: • Texas State Support Committee Members and the US Cotton Producers • Dr. Kater Hake and Dr. Don Jones of Cotton Incorporated • Mr. Steve Verett, Mr. Shawn Wade and staff of Plains Cotton Growers, Inc. • Mr. Tony Williams and Mr. Aaron Nelson of TCGA • Graduate students and research scholars in my laboratory

Questions?