Durable superhydrophobic/superoleophilic melamine foam based on biomass-derived porous carbon and multi-walled carbon nanotube for oil/water separation

Abstract

In the present study, fabrications of two eco-friendly superhydrophobic/superoleophilic recyclable foamy-based adsorbents for oil/water mixture separation were developed. Hierarchically biomass (celery)-derived porous carbon (PC) and multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) were firstly synthesized and loaded on pristine melamine foam (MF) by the simple dip-coating approach by combining silicone adhesive to create superhydrophobic/superoleophilic, recyclable, and reusable three-dimensional porous structure. The prepared samples have a large specific surface area of 240 m2/g (MWCNT), 1126 m2/g (PC), and good micro-mesoporous frameworks. The water contact angle (WCA) values of the as-prepared foams, PC/MF and MWCNT/MF, not only were 159.34° ± 1.9° and 156.42° ± 1.6°, respectively but also had oil contact angle (OCA) of equal to 0° for a wide range of oils and organic solvents. Therefore, PC/MF and MWCNT/MF exhibited superhydrophobicity and superoleophilicity properties, which can be considered effective adsorbents in oil/water mixture separations. In this context, superhydrophobic/superoleophilic prepared foams for kind of different oils and organic solvents were shown to have superior separation performance ranges of 54–143 g/g and 46–137 g/g for PC/MF and MWCNT/MF, respectively, suggesting a new effective porous material for separating oil spills. Also, outstanding recyclability and reusability of these structures in the ten adsorption-squeezing cycles indicated that the WCA and sorption capacity has not appreciably changed after soaking into acidic (pH = 2) and alkaline (pH = 12) as well as saline (3.5% NaCl) solutions. More importantly, the reusability and chemical durability of the superhydrophobic samples made them good opportunities for use in different harsh conditions for oil-spill cleanup.

Pushing the limits of PLA by exploring the power of MWCNTs in enhancing thermal, mechanical properties, and weathering resistance

“…Also, there is a small diffraction peak at 2θ = 42.7°, corresponding to the (100) plane, which matches the carbon's crystal planes; those characteristic peaks in the XRD curve of MWCNTs disappeared from all the XRD curves of the synthesized nanocomposites. This observation suggests that the interlayer d-spacing of graphite increased due to the complete dispersion of MWCNTs in the PLA matrix 25 , 26 .…”

Superhydrophobic Materials from Waste: Innovative Approach

“…They can repel water droplets and prevent water from adhering to their surfaces, leading to a range of applications in various fields, including self-cleaning surfaces, anti-icing coatings, and water-resistant textiles [6,9]. In recent years, researchers have explored the use of naturally derived hydrophobic materials [7,8,10,11] and waste materials to create superhydrophobic surfaces, providing an environmentally friendly and sustainable approach to obtaining these remarkable properties [9,[12][13][14].…”

Investigation of synergistic effects incorporating esterified lignin and guar gum composite aerogel for sustained oil spill cleanup

“…so far, numerous researchers have investigated the utilization and application of innovative sorbents for removal of the water contaminants 5 . Recently, significant studies have been concentrated on the development of sustainable natural three-dimensional porous materials for oil removal such as superhydrophobic/superoleophilic foams 6 , sponges 7 , and aerogels 8 .…”