Synthesis of P (St-DVB)/Fe3O4 microspheres and application for oil removal in aqueous environment

In this article, magnetic P (St-DVB)/Fe 3 O 4 microspheres with hollow and porous structure were successfully fabricated by a seed swelling polymerization process for fast and selective absorption of oils from water surface. These microspheres, with unsinkable, magnetic, hydrophobic and oleophilic properties, were used to absorb different oils up to 8.42 times of the particles’ weight while repelling water completely. More importantly, the oil-absorbed microspheres could be removed from water surface efficiently via introducing an external magnetic field. This material also shows excellent reusability after washing with ethanol and the oil-absorption capacity of the material was not sharply reduced even after the 10th cycle. The discoveries presented in this study might provide a low-cost, effective, and environmental-friendly approach for the clean-up of oils and organic solvents on the water.