Project name: Development
and application of functionalized clay eco-aerogel for selective recovery
of oils

Challenge: Create a solution for capturing and recovering contaminating oils in aqueous media, through the development of an advanced absorbent technology, based on a clay eco-aerogel. The new solution must fulfill successive reuses and enable the recovery of oils for recovery, thus allowing the conversion of waste that represents an environmental liability into an asset with economic potential.

Solution/main objective: The ECOSORV project aims to develop a functionalized clay eco-aerogel capable of selectively absorbing and recovering fat residues, especially used cooking oils, present in an aqueous medium. In addition to making use of the unique properties of aerogels, which enhance exceptional levels of absorption, the new solution will also feature properties that guarantee
mechanical robustness for compression and extraction of captured fats and thus enabling successive reuse, which reinforces its environmentally and economically sustainable nature.

Objectives, activities and expected/achieved results: Promote greater productivity of materials and minimize waste flows sent to final destination (landfill), enabling regeneration
of resources and associated natural systems and contributing to the transformation, modernization and transition to a circular economy of an important industrial sector in the Central Region. The results will be protocols for the development of ECOSORV materials and production technologies as well as small
prototype series of different forms of the ECOSORV product on a pre-industrial scale.

Project reference: CENTRO-01-0145-FEDER-181236

Intervention Region: Center

Total investment: 149,790.56 EUR

EcoX investment: 34,654.70 EUR

Total eligible: 149,790.56 EUR

EcoX Eligible: 34,654.70 EUR

EU financial support - total: 122,204.49 EUR

EU financial support - EcoX: €27,161.79

Duration: 12 months

Start date: 06/01/2022

Completion date: 05/31/2023

Approval date: 05/03/2022

Consortium: Instituto Pedro Nunes, EcoXperience Lda, Active Aerogels Lda

Keywords: Eco-aerogel, waste, cooking oils