Magnetic, superhydrophobic and superoleophilic medium, synthesizing methods and applications of same
A medium for fast, selective oil-water separation and/or oil absorption includes steel wool modified with a polymer a polymer or a polymer mixture. The polymer or the polymer mixture is adapted such that the medium is a superwetting material that is superhydrophobic and superoleophilic under water. The polymer or the polymer mixture includes polydimethylsiloxane, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyvinylpyrrolidone, or a combination thereof. The solution immersion method used to synthesize the medium requires only a single, simple step and affordable materials and, as a result, is easy to scale up.
1. A medium for fast, selective oil-water separation and/or oil absorption, comprising:
a porous wool-like structure (PW) modified with a polymer or a polymer mixture, wherein the polymer or the polymer mixture is adapted such that the medium is a superwetting material that is superhydrophobic and superoleophilic under water or salty water, and wherein the polymer or the polymer mixture comprises polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), or a combination thereof.
2. The medium of claim 1 , wherein the porous wool-like structure (PW) comprises a wool-like metallic substrate, or one of a metallic porous medium, a magnetic porous medium and a non-metallic porous medium with tunable porosities.
3. The medium of claim 1 , wherein the polymer or the polymer mixture has a surface energy such that the polymer or the polymer mixture repels water or salty water and interacts with oils.
4. The medium of claim 1 , wherein the superwetting material is magnetically guidable.
5. The medium of claim 1 , wherein the superwetting material is recyclable and absorbate-retrievable, and chemical, mechanical, and environmental stable.
6. The medium of claim 1 , being in a form of membranes, films, substrates, or three-dimensional (3D) complex structures.
7. A medium for fast, selective oil-water separation and/or oil absorption, comprising:
a porous material coated with a carbon-based material comprising graphene, carbon nanotubes, carbon coatings, crystalline or amorphous carbon films, or a combination thereof, such that the medium is a superwetting material that is superhydrophobic and superoleophilic under water or salty water.
8. The medium of claim 7 , wherein the porous material comprises porous wool-like structure (PW) or a structurally porous material.
9. The medium of claim 8 , wherein the porous material comprises a metallic or non-metallic material including flexible filaments, fibers, porous structures, sponges with controllable porosities, or porous media.
10. The medium of claim 9 , wherein the metallic material comprises a metal or a metallic alloy with or without magnetic properties.
11. The medium of claim 9 , wherein the non-metallic media comprise carbon fibrous materials, polymers, polymers mixed with magnetic and/or non-magnetic nanoparticles and particles or fibers, wood, glass fibers, oxides, and/or membranes.
12. The medium of claim 7 , wherein the superwetting material is magnetically guidable.
13. The medium of claim 7 , wherein the superwetting material is recyclable and absorbate-retrievable, and chemical, mechanical, and environmental stable.
14. A medium for fast, selective oil-water separation and/or oil absorption, comprising:
a porous material treated with an organosilicon compound including hexamethyldisilane, such that the medium is a superwetting material that is superhydrophobic and superoleophilic under water or salty water.
15. The medium of claim 14 , wherein the porous material comprises porous wool-like structure (PW) or a structurally porous material.
16. The medium of claim 15 , wherein the porous material comprises a metallic or non-metallic material including flexible filaments, fibers, porous structures, sponges with controllable porosities, or porous media.