Trimethylchlorosilane Research Articles

Facile fabrication of green and sustainable gelatin-based aerogels for marine oil spill recovery

Efficient and rapid cleanup of marine oil spills is crucial for environmental protection and resource recovery. Biomass aerogel has a broad application prospect in oil spill treatment, but is often limited by the complex preparation process and the use of toxic cross-linking agents. In this study, the hydrophobic gelatin-based aerogels (HGAs) were simply prepared for marine oil spill recovery based on self-crosslinking of gelatin, bubbles produced by surfactants and high-speed stirring, and chemical vapor deposition using methyl trichlorosilane (MTCS). The results showed that the HGAs exhibited a three-dimensional porous structure with a water contact angle of 131.6°. Their adsorption capacities for various oils and organic solvents ranged from 60.4 to 146.5 g/g, which was linearly related to the oil density and depended on the number of pores within the material. The oil adsorption by the HGAs reached equilibrium within 30 s, following the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the HGAs were highly stable in different temperature, pH, and salinity conditions. Simple squeezing can recover 80 % of the spilled oil, and retain 86 % of the initial adsorption capacity after 10 adsorption-squeeze cycles. Additionally, the HGAs had an excellent continuous oil-water separation performance, demonstrating significant potential and practicability in marine oil spill recovery.

Optimizing drying time of lacquer-based MTCS-modified SiO2-TiO2 coatings for enhanced mechanical durability, superhydrophobicity and photocatalytic activity

This research successfully improved the mechanical durability of a superhydrophobic coating on wet lacquer. Methyltrichlorosilane (MTCS) modified SiO2-TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) were applied to a wet lacquer layer with various drying times using a simple spraying technique. The optimal coating exhibited superhydrophobicity with a water contact angle of 157° and a sliding angle of 2°. Additionally, the superhydrophobic surface could withstand over 100,000 water drops, 200 g of sand, and 40 tape-peeling repetitions, indicating high mechanical stability. Moreover, the superhydrophobic surface demonstrated photocatalytic activity by degrading methylene blue (MB) solution. The coating showed excellent adaptability to different substrates, including automotive body panels, with self-cleaning properties. This simple and effective strategy has potential for large-scale fabrication for practical applications in various industrial fields.

Lightweight and hydrophobic silica aerogel/glass fiber composites with hierarchical networks for outstanding thermal and acoustic insulation

Silica aerogels are regarded as potential thermal and acoustic insulation materials with low density and porous structure. However, the hydrophilicity due to surface hydroxyl groups and the low mechanical intensity have limited its further application. Generally, it can be achieved by adjusting the process parameters of the sol-gel to refine the structure of silica aerogels and optimize performance. In this study, we adopted an appropriate modification strategy of incorporating glass fiber felts as the reinforcing phase and trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS) as the hydrophobic modifier. By adjusting the solvent exchange time, the micro-nano structure, i.e. hierarchical networks, was optimized. The TMCS-modified silica aerogel/glass fiber/hot-melt fiber composites (TSGMs) exhibited great sound insulation, and the maximum sound transmission loss (STL) was up to 34 dB at 6300 Hz. Compared to unmodified, STL improved by 8 dB in simulated practical applications. In addition, TSGMs also exhibited high hydrophobicity with a water contact angle of 147° and excellent thermal insulation with a thermal conductivity of 0.0345 W (m k)-1. The results could contribute to the refinement in the preparation process of silica aerogel composites and use in the fields of thermal and acoustic insulation.

Preparation of modified silica gel supported silver nanoparticles and its evaluation using zone of inhibition for water disinfection

In this work, preparation of modified silica gel supported silver nanoparticles and its evaluation using zone of inhibition for water disinfection were investigated. The silica contents of the teff straw [TS] and teff straw ash [TSA] are 5.92 and 92.21 %, respectively. The calcinated TS ash at 700 °C was mixed with NaOH solution. The solution is then neutralized with HCl solution and then gel formation using the sol gel method. The silica gel yield was recorded and characterized. The SG with major silica functional group, amorphous structure, high porosity from the morphology, high surface area of 807.163 m2/g, pore volume of 0.34 cm3/g, pore diameter of 1.70 nm and silica gel purity of 99.39 % were achieved at a calcination temperature of 700 °C. It is then; further modified using trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS)/ethanol/hexane at different volumetric ratio and the resulting product is modified silica gel (MSG). MSG has excellent hydrophobic properties that have been required during water treatment. In this method, MSG with a major silica functional group, well ordered structure due to the TMCS modifier, maximum surface area of 510.40 m2/g was achieved at volumetric ratio of 0.25:0.25:1 of TMCS/ethanol/hexane, respectively. Then, MSG supported AgNPs (MSG-AgNPs) was prepared by mixing different concentrations of AgNPs-MSG and characterized. The MSG-AgNPs have shown AgNPs on the surface of MSG from the EDX result, different absorbance, pore from the morphology, with a maximum surface area of 475.0 m2/g was obtained at 1.5 mM of AgNPs concentrations. The performance of MSG-AgNPs was evaluated using zone of inhibition measurement and batch disinfection studies against E. coli and S. aureus. At 1.5 x 108 CFU/mL initial bacterial concentrations, the maximum inhibition zone diameter was 12.80 and 14.30 mm for E. coli and S. aureus, respectively.

Superhydrophobic Stainless Steel Mesh through Chemical Vapour Deposition of TMCS for Effective Oil-Water Separation

Aim: To Fabricate the superhydrophobic Stainless Steel (SS) mesh using Trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS) through a Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) method for the oil-water mixture separation Background: The frequent oil spills have a devastating impact on marine ecosystems and the environment. The porous materials with superhydrophobic properties have been created to separate oil and water effectively. Due to their ability to effectively separate oil and water, superhydrophobic coatings have gained significant attention. Methods: The cleaned stainless-steel mesh was put on a stand and covered with a glass container. Within the container, 50 mL of hexane, which contained 1 mL of TMCS, was added. The mesh was then left for 3 h to undergo the CVD process Results: The silane content with low surface energy creates a highly rough structure on the mesh surface. The optimal mesh coating is superhydrophobic, having a strong affinity to oil and a water contact angle of 162 ± 2°. The coated mesh has shown a separation efficiency of over 97.8% for different oil-water mixtures. The coatings sustain their superhydrophobicity up to 30 tape peels and 40 times sandpaper abrasion, indicating good mechanical durability. Conclusion: The study concludes that the S-3 sample is mechanically stable and can withstand various tests such as adhesive tape peeling, sandpaper abrasion, bending, folding, and twisting. It efficiently separates oil and water mixtures on a large scale with high efficacy

Ultrahigh growth rate-induced thick 3C-SiC heteroepitaxial layers on 4H-SiC and its oxidation characteristics

The cubic 3C-SiC displays unique advantages in power electronics applications due to its high channel mobility and low SiO2/3C-SiC interface state density. Therefore, the epitaxial growth technology of 3C-SiC is one of the core technologies for preparing high-performance SiC power devices. In this work, we choose 4H-SiC as substrates to grow 3C-SiC with methyltrichlorosilane (MTS)-H2 complex precursor and acheieved an ultrahigh epitaxial growth rate up to 278 μm/h. Then the oxidation treatment has been conducted. The elemental composition, surface morphology, and crystalline phase of the prepared 3C-SiC/4H–SiC thick films were comprehensively characterized with SEM, Raman, XRD and TEM techniques. The growth mechanism and oxidation characteristics of the 3C-SiC/4H-SiC heteroepitaxial layers were analyzed based on experimental phenomena.

Growth mechanism of a batch deposited SiC coating on large-size graphite plates based on multi-scale simulation

Graphite plate was used as a substrate material for growing semiconductor films in the MOCVD process. The graphite plate was protected in the MOCVD process by the SiC coating deposited on its surface. Achieving batch production of SiC coating deposited on large-size graphite plates was critical. In our previous work, the CVD SiC process was investigated via simulations and experiments within a specific parameter range. Experimentally compatible simulation models were established, and parametric conditions for depositing high-quality coatings were obtained. However, in our recent investigation, outstanding deposition was found at simply achievable low-pressure conditions outside the previously reported deposition parameter range. Here, CVD experiments were conducted over broad parameter ranges, and previous models were partially corrected. The mechanism of outstanding deposition in low-pressure conditions and coating growth was explained by multi-scale simulations and experiments. The impact of parameters on CVD SiC was investigated by varying the gas flow rate, deposition pressure, and molar ratio of methyltrichlorosilane(MTS) to H2(nMTS:nH2) during the simulation. The simulation and experimental results were provided as a scientific basis for the process modification of large-scale batch preparation of CVD SiC.

Transformation of Fly Ash-Based Oxide Particles into a Functional Silica-Alumina Aerogel and Its Potential Application as an Anti-icing Surface.

Lightweight, surface hydrophobic, highly insulating, and long-lasting aerogels are required for energy conservation and ice-repellent applications. Here, we present the conversion of fly ash to a silica-alumina aerogel (SAA) by utilizing its high silica content. The extracted silica component replaces expensive precursors typically used in conventional aerogel production. Ice adhesion performance was compared to that of polypropylene (PP), an insulating commodity polymer. First, we removed some salt impurities and heavy metals via water and alkaline washing protocols. Then, we produced SAA via the ambient pressure drying method by using trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS) as an adhesion promoter. The newly produced SAA has a surface area of 810 m2 g-1 and shows hydrophobic properties with a contact angle of 140 ± 5°. The thermal conductivity of SAA is 0.0238 W m-1 K-1 with C P = 1.1922 MJ m-3 K-1. The ice adhesion strength of the PP substrate was calculated as 188.30 ± 51.24 kPa, while the ice adhesion strength of the SAA was measured as 1.21 ± 0.40 kPa, which was about 150 times lower than that of PP. This indicated that SAA had icephobic properties since ice adhesion strength was less than 10 kPa. This study demonstrates that fly ash-based SAA can be utilized as an economical material with a large surface area and exceptional thermal insulation capacity and is free of harmful compounds (heavy metals), making it potentially suitable as an anti-ice thermal insulation material.

Modulating CO hydrogenation activity through silane functionalization of cobalt catalysts

Cobalt oxide (CoO) nanoparticles (NPs) were modified with different silanes (tetraethoxysilane – TEOS, triphenyl ethoxysilane – TPES, or trimethyl chlorosilane - TMCS) by dispersing the as-synthesized CoO NPs in n-hexane solutions containing the silanes. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the presence of these silanes on the cobalt surfaces even after reduction in hydrogen (H2) at 573 K. Modifying CoO-NPs with TEOS resulted in face-centred cubic (fcc)-cobalt phase upon reduction whereas TPES or TMCS modification induced a mixture of hexagonal close-packed (hcp)- and fcc-cobalt phases. The modification of cobalt surfaces with the silanes alters the adsorption properties of carbon monoxide (CO) on the catalytically active sites. Furthermore, temperature programmed desorption of CO (CO-TPD) showed that the amount of dissociatively adsorbed CO relative to amount of associatively adsorbed CO increases on silane-modified cobalt surfaces, which correlates with an improved rate of CO conversion in the Fischer-Tropsch CO hydrogenation.

Modeling interactions between rubidium atom and magnetometer cell wall molecules

Magnetometer cell wall coat molecules play an important role in preserving the lifetime of pumped alkali metal atoms for use in magnetometers that are capable of measuring very small magnetic fields. The goal of this study is to help rationalize the design of the cell coat molecules. Rubidium-87 is studied in terms of its interaction with three template cell coat molecules: ethane, ethene, and methyltrichlorosilane (MeTS). Ab initio electronic structure methods are applied to investigate the effect that the coat molecules have on the 2S ground state and 2P excited state of 87Rb. We find that, from the ab initio results, the three template molecules have differing effects, with MeTS having the largest effect on the ground state and ethane or ethene having the largest effect on the non-degenerate excited states.

In-situ manipulating nanochannel wettability to evaluate fluid transport under nanoconfinement

Understanding the transport of nanoconfined fluid and its underlying mechanism is essential for manipulating fluid transport in nanochannels and nanoporous media. The wettability of the channel wall is one of the most important factors that determine the property and transport of nanoconfined fluid. However, the experimental studies of wettability adjustment for manipulating nanofluid transport were rarely reported. In this work, the wettability of nanochannels in nanofluidic chips was tuned in situ to investigate the transport of water and alkane. The surface hydrophobicity of the channel wall was adjusted through hydroxylation and silanization. The friction factor of water increased with the hydroxylation time of the channel wall, and decreased after surface hydrophobization with octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) and trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS), indicating surface hydrophobization had a significant effect on friction reduction. The linear correlation between the transport distance ΔX2 and time t could be theoretically described based on the Lucas-Washburn equation for fully developed flow. With the same channel depth, the fitted apparent contact angle θapp for nanochannels of different hydrophobicity followed the trend of OTS > TMCS > pristine > hydroxylation. The transport of water in hydrophobized nanochannels was faster than that in pristine and hydroxylated nanochannels, which coincided with the friction factor results. The transport of n-hexane was significantly faster than that of water, which could be explained by the differences in the fluid viscosity, surface tension and wettability. This work provides experimental evidence and useful insights into the understanding of the wettability effect of nanochannel on the transport of different fluids, which has implications for the transportation characteristics of nanoconfined fluids in the applications, such as advanced batteries, separation membranes, unconventional reservoirs, etc.

Preparation of Hydrophobic Au Catalyst and Application in One-Step Oxidative Esterification of Methacrolein to Methyl Methacrylate.

The water produced during the oxidative esterification reaction occupies the active sites and reduces the activity of the catalyst. In order to reduce the influence of water on the reaction system, a hydrophobic catalyst was prepared for the one-step oxidative esterification of methylacrolein (MAL) and methanol. The catalyst was synthesized by loading the active component Au onto ZnO using the deposition-precipitation method, followed by constructing the silicon shell on Au/ZnO using tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) to introduce hydrophobic groups. Trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS) was used as a hydrophobic modification reagent to prepare hydrophobic catalysts, which exhibited a water droplet contact angle of 111.2°. At a temperature of 80 °C, the hydrophobic catalyst achieved a high MMA selectivity of over 95%. The samples were characterized using XRD, N2 adsorption, ICP, SEM, TEM, UV-vis, FT-IR, XPS, and water droplet contact angle measurements. Kinetic analysis revealed an activation energy of 22.44 kJ/mol for the hydrophobic catalyst.

Synthesis and Characterization of Modified Silica Gel from Teff Straw Ash Using Sol-gel Method

Teff straw ash was first converted into sodium silicate solution, then processed via sol-gel, producing low-density silica aerogel (modified silica gel). A one-step modification method was applied to produce modified silica gel from teff straw ash. The method involved the use of trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS), ethanol, and n-hexane as reagents, with a specific molar ratio. Then, we used ambient pressure drying to complete the process. The modified silica gel had improved properties compared to the unmodified one. These chemicals were used to modify the surface properties of the substrate. The surface of the modified silica gel used in the sol-gel method was altered with a TMCS solution. We studied how the properties of silica gel changed when we used different amounts of ethanol, n-hexane, and TMCS to modify it. Using BET, FTIR, XRD, and SEM, the properties of the porous structure of the modified silica gel were identified. The optimal molar ratio of pore (ethanol/TMCS/n-hexane) for modifying silica gel was found to be 25/25/100. This resulted in a modified silica gel with a specific surface area of 909.25 m2/g, a pore size of 0.5422 cm3/g, and a pore volume of 2.670 nm. The functional groups of the modified silica gel were verified by the FTIR analysis. The XRD analysis verified the amorphous and crystalline nature of the silica gel and the modified silica gel, respectively. The SEM images revealed the surface morphology of the modified silica gel.

Utilization of methyltrichlorosilane as a novel and efficient reagent to enhance fluorine recovery from wet-process phosphoric acid

Recovering fluorine from wet-process phosphoric acid (WPA) by the evaporation concentration method has been widely used due to its simplicity and cheapness. However, the low fluorine recovery reduces the WPA quality, which in turn has detrimental effects on fertilizer production and leads to a waste of valuable fluorine resources. In this work, a cost-effective organic liquid, methyltrichlorosilane (MTS), was first employed as the gasification reagent in the WPA concentration process to promote fluorine recovery. The effects of several important parameters including MTS dosage, initial mass of absorptive water, addition stages, stirring speed, and concentration temperature, were investigated. The first three factors emerged as pivotal determinants of the fluorine recovery and the results revealed a remarkable 87.94% recovery of fluorine from WPA, signifying a substantial enhancement compared to the recovery achieved in the absence of MTS, which amounted to 40.36%. The defluorination kinetics data was well-fitted with a second-order model, and showed an activation energy of 23.77 kJ/mol, highlighting the strong interaction between MTS and fluorine in WPA. In addition, liquid MTS could recover fluorine selectively and efficiently without compromising the quality of WPA and exhibited superior fluorine recovery when compared to traditional solid mineral reagents such as diatomite and white carbon black. Further analysis revealed the governing mechanism for fluorine recovery that the addition of MTS prevented the conversion of liquid HF and H2SiF6 to solid Na2SiF6 and K2SiF6, favoring SiF4 gas production. Overall, this research provides valuable insights for enhancing fluorine recovery during the WPA concentration process and developing environmentally friendly reagents.

Synthesis and evaluation of the anti-bacterial effect of modified silica gel supported silver nanoparticles on E. coli and S. aureus

Scientists are looking for new antibacterial agents to disinfect point-of-use water sources due to the dearth of clean drinking water in developing nations and disaster areas. Because of the growth of antibiotic and disinfectant resistance as well as the emergence of multiple unfavorable effects brought on by using current antibacterial agents like chlorine compounds, this is the case. Because of their antibacterial properties, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have become a useful replacement for other nanomaterials. This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of AgNPs embedded in modified silica gel (MSG). It was used to kill Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and to test its efficacy in water purification in a batch and zone of inhibition system. Trimethyl chlorosilane (TMCS) was used to modify MSG, which was then ground into powder using a process known as the ambient dry method. Using a reagent made from Vernonia amygdalina leaf extract, AgNPs were prepared using a green technique. With the aid of FT-IR, BET, XRD, SEM/EDX, and UV–vis spectrophotometers, the MSG supported by AgNPs was studied. E. coli and S. aureus were tested for their antibacterial abilities in MSG supplements with AgNPs samples. AgNPs have excellent antibacterial properties that enable zone inhibition and batch system tests with MSG. Batch system tests showed that both gram-positive and gram-negative microorganisms decreased effectively after 10 min of exposure. Zone inhibition tests indicated that MSG with AgNPs was effective against both kinds of bacteria.

High capillary effect and solar dual-drive nanofibrillated cellulose aerogels for efficient crude oil spill cleanup

Frequent oil spills pose a serious threat to ecosystems, and rapid cleanup and recycling of oil spills are in high demand. Herein, inspired by natural wood structures and solar-driven viscosity-break, we developed a rapid oil-adsorption aerogel named D-CuS@CP-PMTS, which is dual-driven by capillary effect and solar energy. Briefly, copper sulfide (CuS) nanoparticles were rapidly in situ deposited on the template of oxidized nanofibrillated cellulose (ONC), aiming at achieving high photothermal effects. Subsequently, ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (EGDE) was introduced to build multiple cross-links between CuS@ONC and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), followed by fabricating an aerogel with directional channels for rapid oil transport using unidirectional freeze-drying technology. Finally, methyltrichlorosilane (MTS) was uniformly deposited on the aerogel using a gas–solid reaction to improve its hydrophobicity. The resulting composite aerogel achieved rapid oil adsorption with the dual assistance of solar self-heating and oriented channel structure, which significantly shortened the oil adsorption time (from 45 min to 2 min), companying with encouraging antibacterial effects. Meanwhile, rapid and repeated multiple adsorptions of high-viscosity crude oils and high melting point oils were achieved, which is superior to other reports. This work provides a new insight into adsorption and recycling of high-viscosity crude oil, and also broadens the potential application prospects of ONC-based aerogels.

Cellulose acetate superhydrophobic coatings for efficient oil–water separation using a combination of electrostatic spraying and chemical vapor deposition

AbstractThe efficient and simple separation of oil–water mixtures has been a global challenge due to the growing problem of oily wastewater. To address this issue, various materials with special wetting properties and functionality have been developed in the past decades for oil–water separation. In this study, a superhydrophobic cellulose acetate (CA) functional coating was prepared by electrostatic spraying of CA and chemical vapor deposition of methyltrichlorosilane (MTCS) on a stainless steel mesh (SSM). Water contact angle in air (WCA) of the resulting coating is154° or more, and oil under water contact angle (UWOCA) is 0°. Simultaneously, the separation flux of the resulting coating for oil–water mixtures is as high as 23977.77 L·m−2·h−1, with separation efficiencies exceeding 99%. Due to its excellent water repellency, the CA functional coating can effectively separate oil and water, and can be easily dried for continuous use. Furthermore, the CA functional coating exhibits good stability in salt solutions and acidic environments, making it an ideal material for addressing oily wastewater challenges.Highlights The coating obtained by electrostatic spraying and CVD was superhydrophobic. The separation flux and separation efficiencies of coatings is 23977.77 L·m−2·h−1 and 99%. Coatings remain stable under polar environment conditions (pH = 2–12 and NaCl = 1–3 mol/L).

Energy effective utilization of circulating fluidized bed fly ash to prepare silicon-aluminum composite aerogel and gypsum

To reduce the cost of Si-Al aerogels preparation, circulating fluidized bed fly ash (CFA) was developed to be as the alternative to synthetic precursors. High energy consumption of alkali-melting and secondary wastes production were the major challenges. Here, a technique characterized by effective energy consumption and non-secondary waste was developed to convert CFA into Si-Al aerogel. The process consists two stages, preparation of Si-Al sol by sintering of CFA and Na2CO3 followed by sulfuric acid leaching, and synthesis of Si-Al aerogel by so-gel with trimethyl chlorosilane modification and ambient pressure drying. The optimization results of proportion and sintering temperature showed that the optimal temperature of sintering of Na2CO3 and CFA with the mass ratio of 0.7 was 750 °C, 100 °C lower than that of most other waste aluminosilicate materials. CaSO4·0.5H2O which meet building gypsum requirement was obtained by specifying the drying temperature of acid-leached residue at 126 °C for 2 h. The modification procedure was explored to obtain Si-Al aerogel with a large specific surface area of 857 m2/g and hydrophobic angle of 139.3°. Thermal and mechanical properties tests indicated that the Si-Al aerogels and gypsum produced from CFA exhibited promising thermal insulation and the potential application in construction.

Hydrophobic sponge derived from natural loofah for efficient oil/water separation

Polymer sponge and carbon aerogel have received widespread attention because of their high specific surface area and controllable wettability. However, the complex manufacturing processes and non-renewable raw materials of these porous materials have limited their practical applications. Herein, we conducted the thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of hydrophobic methyltrichlorosilane (MTCS) on loofah sponge (LS), which led to the formation of a novel oil-adsorbing hydrophobic MTCS-coated loofah sponge (MTCS-LS). The obtained MTCS-LS retained the interconnected 3D porous structure and robust structure stability of natural LS, while exhibited dramatically improved hydrophobicity with contact angle of 137° in the pH range of 2–12. This unique characteristic conferred MTCS-LS selective oil removal ability from water, and MTCS-LS possessed oil sorption capacity of 13 times of its dry weight and high separation efficiency (>92%). Results of the adsorption-squeezing tests proved that the excellent reversible compressibility of natural LS was maintained after the silanization modification. Compared to other known oil-adsorbing materials, the MTCS-LS displayed apparent advantage in adsorbing oils with high viscosity (e.g. crude oil). Our study provides a simple approach to exploitation of biomass in pollutants removal.

Three-dimensional hydrophobic melamine@methyl trichlorosilane/polydimethylsiloxane sponge for consecutive and long-term oil/water separation

Herein, a melamine sponge is adopted as the skeleton to be modified by both methyl trichlorosilane (MTS) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) on the surface, fabricating the 3D porous Mel@MTS/PDMS sponge. Systemic investigations reveal that MTS self-assembles into many micro-nano particles to roughen the surface of the melamine matrix, thus greatly increasing its hydrophobicity. PDMS tightly anchors those MTS particles via forming a surface coating. Therefore, the resultant Mel@MTS/PDMS sponge exhibits the superior oil-adsorbed capacity, good hydrophobicity, and great structural and mechanical stability. Based on this Mel@MTS/PDMS sponge, a consecutive oil/water separation system is successfully built and induces the continuous recovery of oil under various simulated oil–water separation conditions. Obviously, this 3D hydrophobic Mel@MTS/PDMS sponge and corresponding consecutive oil/water separation device provide a promising application strategy in the leaked oil recovery and environmental purification.