Follow Portugal Immigration and Life in Portugal: The cork oak is an important economic tree species in Portugal, and its thick bark is a natural material used to make wine bottle stoppers, which is familiar to everyone. A few years ago, United States scientists used polymer materials to replace cork in making bottle stoppers. Being inexpensive and high-quality, these became strong competitors to cork stoppers, putting the economic fate of the cork oak at risk. Furthermore, if they lose their economic utility, the survival of cork oak forests becomes a concern. On one hand, Portugal is upholding the banner of green and natural products to defend the market position of cork stoppers; on the other hand, it is developing new cork products to secure the market status of the cork oak.
The new cork product developed by scientists at the University of Minho in Portugal—a powder for cleaning oil spills on water—is a product with a simple process and remarkable functionality. They process cork into fine, powdery particles and sprinkle them on the water surface; the oil on the water is instantly absorbed by the cork powder. Moreover, because the cork powder floats on the water, it is extremely easy to collect and remove after absorbing the oil. The principle is simple and clear: the elastic function of cork bark is due to its structure being full of tiny pores, and these pores are highly effective at absorbing oil.
This new product not only creates an environmentally friendly solution for removing oil spills from water but also allows for 100% utilization of cork bark, leaving no waste behind. Today, by promoting the green and natural aspects, the Portuguese have successfully maintained the position of cork stoppers in the high-end wine market and have also developed many new products. However, this has created a new problem: there is not enough cork bark to meet the demand.