Synthesis of a durable and efficient superhydrophobic copper mesh coated by organosilica nano/microstructures for separating oil from water

Abstract

Superhydrophobic materials are widely utilized to separate oil from water. Proposing a facial method to synthesis a durable hydrophobic/superhydrophobic surface for efficient and easy oil/water separation is necessary due to the danger of oil spills for ecosystems. Herein, a robust superhydrophobic filter is introduced for oil/water separation. Organosilica nano/microstructures covered resorcinol-formaldehyde resin are loaded on the copper mesh surface to earn a roughened surface then modified by 1-dodecanethiol to get a low surface energy mesh. The prepared superhydrophobic copper mesh was shaped to a basket-like as an oil skimmer device that repels the water and collects the oil through its pores. The sample was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy methods. The sample exhibits high water contact angle, θ=149±1° and the oil contact angle, showing its superhydrophobic nature. The prepared superhydrophobic mesh was used as an efficient and robust filter to separate oil from water. Its oil/water separation efficiency is more than 90% and this value approximately preserves after 50 cycles. The prepared sample also shows self-cleaning property. Thanks to the stable and rough structured created by resorcinol-formaldehyde resin covered by organosilica particles and also the low surface energy provided by 1-dodecanethiol, the prepared sample shows superhydrophobic property with high efficiency to separate oil from water.