A superhydrophilic/air superoleophobic sponge based on layer by layer deposition for high-performance continuous adsorption water in oil

At present, there are few studies on the removal of water from oil, but water in fuel can cause machine malfunctions and even safety accidents, which cannot be ignored. In this study, an oil-resistant superhydrophilic/air superoleophobic sponge (SS-MS) was designed to selectively absorb water from oil. Through layer by layer deposition, polyphenols, particles, and fluorinated surfactants were assembled on the sponge, finally achieving the effect of super hydrophilic and super oil phobic in the air. The contact angle of the modified sponge SS-MS on diesel oil can reach 153°, and the absorption efficiency of water in diesel oil can reach more than 99 %. Moreover, a continuous selective absorption device for water in oil was constructed, the SS-MS sponge can still achieve a water absorption efficiency of 98 % after ten cycles. Importantly, the SS-MS has excellent mechanical and chemical stability under 80 % strain, different pH, UV irradiation times and temperatures. In addition, the materials used in this study are all green and low-pollution substances, and melamine sponge has the advantages of low price, light weight, good elasticity and high porosity. In summary, SS-MS offers a new approach to remove water from fuel and has the potential for large-scale applications.