Recyclable Magnetically Driven Superhydrophobic Polyurethane Sponge for highly efficient Oil/Water mixtures and emulsions separation

Abstract

Magnetically driven superhydrophobic materials were coated on the surface of polyurethane sponges by Fe3O4 nanoparticals and stearic acid. The as-prepared sponge was characterized by scanning electron microscope, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and other analytical techniques. The surface wettability of the as-prepared sponge, the separation capacity of oil/water mixtures and emulsions, the sorption kinetics of different types of oil, and the recyclability of the materials were studied. The Fe3O4 and stearic acid were coated onto the skeleton surface of the sponge, which make the as-prepared sponge possess magnetic and hierarchically microstructure. The water contact angle reach up to 158° on the surface of the superhydrophobic sponge. The materials also shows highly efficient oil/water mixtures and emulsions separation. Moreover, the oil separation capacities still keep a high value after 50 cycles of squeezing the saturated absorbed as-prepared sponge. All of these satisfactory properties made the as-prepared sponge as an ideal absorbents for oil/water mixtures and emulsions separation in the future.