Abstract
In this paper, we present a facile and efficient strategy for the fabrication of magnetic, durable, and superhydrophobic cotton for oil/water separation. The superhydrophobic cotton functionalized with Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles was prepared via the in situ coprecipitation of Fe2+/Fe3+ ions under ammonia solution on cotton fabrics using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a coupling agent and hydrophobic treatment with tridecafluorooctyl triethoxysilane (FAS) in sequence. The as-prepared cotton demonstrated excellent superhydrophobicity with a water contact angle of 155.6° ± 1.2° and good magnetic responsiveness. Under the control of the external magnetic field, the cotton fabrics could be easily controlled to absorb the oil from water as oil absorbents, showing high oil/water separation efficiency, even in hot water. Moreover, the cotton demonstrated remarkable mechanical durable properties, being strongly friction-resistant against sandpaper and finger wipe, while maintaining its water repellency. This study developed a novel and efficient strategy for the construction of magnetic, durable, and superhydrophobic biomass-based adsorbent for oil/water separation, which can be easily scaled up for practical oil absorption.
Highlights
Oil spills due to the release of marine oils or industrial wastewater have attracted worldwide attention for their potential pollution to the environment and impact on human health [1,2,3]
The green procedure for the synthesis of superhydrophobic/superoleophilic Fe3 O4 -modified cotton fabrics and following magnetic control of oil/water separation is depicted in Scheme 1
After hydrophobic treatment with FAS, the cotton fabrics containing Fe3 O4 nanoparticles could be magnetized under external magnetic field, allowing them to be flexibly controlled by a magnet during the oil/water separation process
Summary
Oil spills due to the release of marine oils or industrial wastewater have attracted worldwide attention for their potential pollution to the environment and impact on human health [1,2,3]. Tradition methods such as gravity separation [4], filtration [5], and centrifuge have been used for the separation of organic oils from polluted water. The above methods are still insufficient in generality, usability and adaptability for oil/water separation owing to the low separation efficiency or complicated operation procedures. XPS survey spectra of pristine cotton fabrics (a1), PVP-modified (a1), PVP‐modified cotton cotton (a2), Fe(a2), modified cotton (a3), Fe3O4‐modified cotton after fluorination treatment (a4); (b) high‐resolution
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: 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.
