Development of highly hydrophobic and superoleophilic fluoro organothiol-coated carbonized melamine sponge/rGO composite absorbent material for the efficient and selective absorption of oily substances from aqueous environments

• Published in: Journal of environmental chemical engineering Vol. 9; no. 2; p. 105093
• Main Authors: Duman, Osman, Diker, Ceren Özcan, Tunç, Sibel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01-04-2021
• Subjects: Hydrophobic absorbent material; Oil/water emulsion; Oily pollutant and organic solvent; Selective separation; Oily pollutant and organic solvent; Selective separation; Oil/water emulsion; Hydrophobic absorbent material
• ISSN: 2213-3437; 2213-3437
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jece.2021.105093

The removal of various oils, petroleum products and organic solvents from water has a great importance for environmental protection. In this study, highly hydrophobic and superoleophilic fluoro organothiol-coated carbonized melamine sponge/rGO composite absorbent material (CMS/rGO/PFDT) material was prepared as a new absorbent for the cleanup of oil spills and selective separation of oil-water mixtures. The results of contact angle, scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman measurements proved that the preparation of new absorbent material was successfully performed. CMS/rGO/PFDT displayed excellent hydrophobicity with a high-water contact angle of 143.2°. and superoleophilicity with an oil-contact angle of 0°. This absorbent was unsinkable in water and could absorb the hydrophobic organic contaminants up to 55 times of its own weight. CMS/rGO/PFDT could effectively and selectively absorb the oily substances from olive oil-water and gasoline-water emulsions and achieved the continuous oil-water separation with the assistance of a vacuum pump. The developed CMS/rGO/PFDT material may be a potential absorbent in the absorptive removal of oily substances and organic solvents from oily wastewater and in the separation of oil-water mixture.
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•Highly hydrophobic and superoleophilic CMS/rGO/PFDT was prepared successfully.•New absorbent was characterized by contact angle, SEM, XPS, XRD and Raman analyses.•Selective separation of oily substance was achieved by CMS/rGO/PFDT material.•CMS/rGO/PFDT could absorb oil up to 55 times its own weight.•Separation efficiency of 99.5% was obtained for olive oil/water mixture.