Abstract
Globally, the issue of oil-water emulsion is continuously tickling in the minds of researchers. The oil-water emulsion is hazardous to marine ecological safety and human health around the globe, indicating that we urgently need to develop efficient strategies to tackle emulsion issues. Materials with porous morphology and selective superwettability towards certain liquids are essential in separating oil-water emulsions. Recently, there has been increased demand for smart oil-absorbent and water-absorbent superwetting porous materials. Over the past decade, several innovative advancements and promising industrial developments to separate oil-water emulsions have been spotted. This review article overviews the latest advancements in the design of superwetting materials for oil-water emulsion separation and thoroughly discusses oil-absorbent and water-absorbent superwetting porous materials, demulsification, and superamphiphilic materials. In each section, the design strategies, base materials and oil-water emulsion separation performance of superwetting porous materials have been systematically discussed. Then, common challenges of superwetting materials in practical application are discussed. Finally, conclusions and future perspectives concerning oil-water emulsion separation based on superwetting porous materials are summarized. This review article can allow helping hand to early career scientists to elegantly understand the oil-water emulsion separation issues.
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