Mussel-Inspired Magnetic Photothermal Superhydrophobic Sponge for Intelligent Oil Spill Cleanup

Nowadays, there is an expectation to find an efficient way to handle marine oil contamination. Intelligent oil removal or adsorption may be a promising method for marine oil spills using magnetic driving materials. Superhydrophobic-superoleophilic properties are of great importance in oil absorption and oil spill cleanup. In the present work, a multifunctional melamine sponge (MS), PDA-Fe₃O₄/TiN@PDMS-MS, for intelligent oil spill absorption was successfully prepared with mussel-inspired chemistry. Based on the excellent superhydrophobicity, photothermal property, magnetic property, and adsorption capacity, PDA-Fe₃O₄/TiN@PDMS-MS can absorb up to 40 times its own weight of oil, achieving efficient crude oil absorption and intelligent oil spill cleanup by magnetic driving control. In the field of oil-water separation and marine crude oil removal, this PDA-Fe₃O₄/TiN@PDMS-MS could have a wide range of applications.