Research progress in solar-assisted crude oil absorbing materials

Due to the high viscosity and low fluidity of crude oil at room temperature, the efficient recovery of offshore oil spills by an environmental friendly way is still a global challenge. Oil-water separation technology is seen as a promising method to solve the problem of oil spills at sea. However, conventional oil-water separation can only recover low-viscosity light oil. Solar energy, as a clean and renewable energy source, is widely applied in many areas because of its natural remarkable, low cost, and eco-friendly properties. Using solar energy as the thermal source, interfacial photothermal oil absorption technology has been developed for the recovery of oil, especially high-viscosity crude oil. This article focuses on the state of art of solar-assisted adsorbents for crude oil cleanup. Here, we will start with an introduction to the wetting mechanism and common photothermal conversion materials; then list various oil-absorbing materials, including sponges, aerogels, and fabrics. Finally, the advantages and disadvantages of photothermal oil-absorbing materials are summarized, and its prospects are outlooked with the intend to serve the researches the advances of future research.