A versatile and efficient method to fabricate superhydrophobic biomass for removing/ collecting oil contaminants

Abstract

A highly efficient and versatile method was developed to prepare durable, superhydrophobic surface on various biomass substrates in order to remove organic contaminants from polluted water. This method employed PPy/nanoparticles (TiO2, Ag and SiO2) in combination with HDTMS modification. The coated biomass possessed durable superhydeophobicity with highest WCA of 168.4°, which could collect the oil from oil-water mixtures and water-in-oil emulsion. The collected organic contaminants could also be decomposed by photocatalysis process with TiO2 coated corn stalk. The durable evaluation results proved the outstanding resistance to friction, long-term exposure in environment, high temperature, acidic and basic agents. The method suggested in this work provides a facile and efficient route to synthesize large-scale, durable, and mechanically stable superhydrophobic surface for water pollution control.

Keywords

• Superhydrophobic
• Biomass
• Oil absorption
• Separation