Superhydrophobic nanoporous polymer-modified sponge for in situ oil/water separation

Developing an efficient and environmentally friendly strategy for oil-water separation is extremely important for practical application. In this study, a superhydrophobic and superoleophilic melamine sponge loaded with cross-linked and swellable polydivinylbenzene was successfully fabricated by a facile and effective one-step impregnation-curing method with adhesion of polydimethylsiloxane. The prepared sponge not only exhibited high oil absorption capacity, but it also enabled rapid oil collection in situ, which could be extended to practical application. Moreover, the modified superhydrophobic sponge showed excellent mechanical resistance and chemical stability. The surface morphology and chemical composition were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. This material has great development potential for large-scale oil spill clean-up and chemical spill accidents.