A fluorine-functionalized metal-organic framework decorated hydrophobic sponge for efficient oil spill remediation

The frequent occurrence of oil spills has resulted in increasingly serious consequences in terms of economy and environment, which to some extent hinders the green development of the social economy. Emergency measures must be taken to minimize the harm caused by oil spills. Therefore, we used a solvothermal method to synthesize a fluorine functionalized metal organic framework decorated hydrophobic sponge, in order to address the drawbacks of oil spills. This hydrophobic sponge is known as MS@UiO-67-F4. It has a multistage pore structure and low surface energy, exhibiting remarkable hydrophobicity, high adsorption of oils, and excellent reusability performance. Meanwhile, MS@UiO-67-F4 exhibits excellent adsorption capacities toward oils and organic solvents, ranging from 82.2 to 179.3 g/g. Its adsorption performance is 1.08–1.32 times that of MS@UiO-67, surpassing that of many other reported hydrophobic sponge materials. The oil-water separation efficiency reaches over 98.0%. MS@UiO-67-F4 demonstrates good durability and stability, further enhancing its effectiveness, extending its service life, and expanding its application range. In summary, MS@UiO-67-F4 has brought new opportunities and possibilities for solving the problem of oil spills.