As part of its research projects, the company has created an absorbent compound for petroleum or any type of hydrocarbon. The compound basically consists of a flexible open-cell polyurethane foam with hydrophobic and oleophilic properties obtained through treatment with chemical reactants also in combination with graphene and nanofillers.
PU-FF is a patented oleophilic, hydrophobic open-cell flexible polyurethane foam with oleophilic and hydrophobic properties, with density of about 30 kg/m3.
This innovative material, more than 95% hydrophobic, can absorb about 30 times its own weight of various kinds of hydrocarbons (including 10w40 oil, light and heavy fuel oils and crude oils of various API gravities).
Tests have revealed that oil retention capacity is directly proportional to the viscosity of the oil. The material saturates at an extremely fast rate (a few minutes).
PUFF can be reused about 100 times with the aid of a mechanical wringing process performed using special machinery engineered and built by Test1, which allows recovery of about 2 tonnes of oils uncontaminated by water using only about 1 kg of product. The wringing process, even if performed manually and without the use of the dedicated machinery engineered by Test 1, almost completely restores the initial properties of PU-FF, providing oil holding capacity that remains constant whilst the number of cycles increases.

If the clean-up operation takes place in adverse weather conditions, its strong resistance to oil desorption and ability to float (even when saturated with oil) mean that PU-FF can be left in the water even for lengthy periods of time, allowing the foam recovery operations to be performed in safety when favourable weather conditions are restored.
At the end of its life cycle, it can be recycled by means of a regeneration process that avoids landfill disposal or combustion.
The product is not harmful to the marine fauna or flora and is safe for human health. The invention is patented and is registered on the official list of absorbent products kept by the Italian Ministry of the Environment and Environmental Protection, as per the Decree published in Official Gazette no. 114 of 19 May 2009 and subsequent measures.