Mechanochemical Modification of Zeolite Rocks with Polyvinyl Alcohol for Increasing Their Oil Sorption Capacity

— We have studied the effect of mechanical activation and modification with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) on the composition, structure, and oil sorption capacity of zeolite (clinoptilolite and clinoptilolite–stilbite) rocks. The specific power of the vibratory attritor was 12 W/g, the specific mechanical energy delivered to the materials was 2.16 kJ/g, and the ball-to-powder weight ratio was 32 : 1. The materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetry, and low-temperature nitrogen adsorption measurements. The results demonstrate that modification of clinoptilolite–stilbite or clinoptilolite rocks with 20 wt % PVA raises their oil sorption capacity on solid surfaces by 15–18%.