Straightforward oxidation of a copper substrate produces an underwater superoleophobic mesh for oil/water separation
1Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China).
Abstract:
A superhydrophilic and underwater superoleophobic Cu(OH)2-covered mesh with micro- and nanoscale hierarchical composite structures is successfully fabricated through a one-step chemical oxidation of a smooth-copper mesh. Such mesh, without any further modification, can selectively separate water from oil/water mixtures with high separation efficiency, and possess excellent stability even after 60 uses. This method provides a simple, low-cost, and scalable strategy for the purification of oily wastewater.
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