Indexed by:Journal Papers

Date of Publication:2020-12-29

Journal:JOURNAL OF DISPERSION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Volume:41

Issue:8

Page Number:1136-1144

ISSN No.:0193-2691

Key Words:Cement-coated superhydrophobic PU sponge; oil; water separation; environmentally friendly; cost-effective

Abstract:Polyurethane (PU) sponge with extreme wettability have been studied widely for oil/water separation. However, existing techniques to fabricate the PU sponge with extreme wettability often involve using the harmful and toxic chemicals with the complex fabrication processes. Here, a facile, environmentally friendly and cost-effective method is proposed to fabricate superhydrophobic-superoleophilic cement-coated PU sponge for oil/water separation. Due to rich porous structures and good elasticity, superhydrophobic sponge exhibited high adsorption capacity for various oils/organic solvents. The separation ability was less affected by complex conditions, including UV lamp irradiation, turbulent environment and continuous separation with vacuum pump assistance. Separation efficiency of oils/corrosive aqueous solutions mixtures could reach up to 99%, which suggested that this superhydrophobic cement-coated PU sponge could be a promising candidate for oil spill cleanup on the sea.
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