Open AccessPhotoluminescent, Ferromagnetic, and Hydrophobic Sponges for Oil–Water Separation
Author(s) -
Keyang Yin,
Dandan Lu,
Bangping Sun,
Tomasz Kalwarczyk,
Robert Hołyst,
Junying Hao,
Hongguang Li,
Jingcheng Hao
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
acs omega
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.779
H-Index - 40
ISSN - 2470-1343
DOI - 10.1021/acsomega.0c00899
Subject(s) - sponge , adsorption , pyrolysis , materials science , carbon fibers , chemical engineering , citric acid , contact angle , absorption (acoustics) , alkylation , nanoparticle , organic chemistry , nanotechnology , chemistry , composite material , catalysis , botany , composite number , engineering , biology
To find a facile way to produce a hydrophobic sponge that can effectively absorb oils is urgent to resolve the environmental pollution and ecological disaster caused by oil spillage. Here, alkylated carbon dots (C dots) were prepared from pyrolysis of a mixture of dodecylamine and citric acid followed by purification through silica gel column chromatography. Polyurethane sponge was modified by alkylated C dots by a simple dip-coating method, which endows the photoluminescent and hydrophobic sponge with good absorption capacities for various oils and nonpolar organic solvents with high recyclability. The water contact angle of the modified sponge can reach 138.8°. Interestingly, the sponge enables visual absorption under UV irradiation in the dark, which has not been achieved by other carbon-based adsorbents. The sponge was further made ferromagnetic by introducing alkylated Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles into its structure, which allowed controllable oil-water separation.