New floating material which enables water and gases depollution. It is made from waste industry cork, which are not currently being used.

Cork Surface is partially carbonized-activated, in order to create a layer of activated carbon, with adsorbent properties. TiO2  (anatase) are dispersed on the carbon layer, providing the photocatalytic function. Its use in depollution would be in-situ and with low operation costs. In laboratory tests its use has enables the removal of 50% of a sample pollutant after 1 hour and up to 100% of removal of the sample pollutant after 2 hours.

It is a sustainable and a great energy saving product.

“Its use would enable the depollution in cases where currently are not being cleaned because of the high water volumes”

Cork

• It is necessary the continuous use of cork because if it is replaced by other materials, the number of cork oaks would be dramatically reduced, losing one of the ecosystems with hightest biodiversity and most represenative in the Mediterranean area (PEFC España, 2012).
• In Spain, the second country in cork production for bottles after Portugal, the cork manufacture is 85% of the sales turnover at this sector in Spain and worlwide. There is a decrease of this market because of its replacement by plastic, so it is necessary to search for alternatives for this material.

“The cork industry recognices its current difficulties and needs solutions in order to be  even a stronger sector through adapting to new market challanges (PEFC España, 2012)”

Environment

• Despite the reached improvents in some regions, water pollution is increasing worldwide [WWDR3, UNESCO].
• More tan 80% of waste water of developing countries is untreated, polluting rivers, lakes and coastlines [WWDR3, UNESCO].
• The increasing importance of air quality at the European level (EU Directives, for example 2008/50/EC).

• Waste valuation that currently has no value.
• Sustainable and economic material.
• Removal of 50% of a sample pollutant after 1 hour and up to 100% of removal of the sample pollutant after 2 hours.
• High specific area. Adsorbent and photocatalytic properties
• In-situ application and with low operation costs. It is not necessary lead the pulluted streams through any catalytic reactors, which implies savings in investment costs in depollution plants.
• Optimal water and gas depollutant in paints, solvents or volatile organic compounds. It can especially be used in removing oils, fats, petrol and its derivatives.