Abstract
Desert sand is one of the most abundant natural resources, its reutilization is of significance and very valuable for the sustainable development of the environment. In this work, to realize the efficient reutilization of desert sand, we developed a facile method to fabricate superhydrophobic sands based on the self-assembly of PTFE nanocoating. The as-prepared sands exhibit simultaneously superhydrophobic and superoleophilic properties with a water contact angle is ∼150° and an oil contact angle is ∼0°. Besides, the applications of the as-prepared functional sands in water storage and oil/water separation were investigated in detail. The results show that the as-prepared sands exhibit good water storage capacity compared with the raw desert sand. Additionally, the as-prepared sand layer used as an adsorbent or filter can efficiently separate both light and heavy oil/water mixtures with a separation efficiency of > 96% and separation flux of > ∼24000 L/m2h. This work provides a good alternative for achieving the reutilization of desert sand and other natural resources.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
More From: Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.