Superhydrophobic DTES-SEP/SiO2@PDMS coated sponge and stainless steel mesh for efficient oil and water separation

The exploitation of offshore oil will inevitably cause oil leakage, which not only affects the ecological environment but also threatens the balance of the marine ecosystem. Therefore, new materials for efficient oil-water separation need to be continuously researched. In this paper, dodecyltriethoxysilane (DTES) was used to hydrophobically modify meerschaolite (SEP) and silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanoparticles. DTES-SEP/SiO2@PDMS coatings were successfully prepared on the surface of sponges and stainless steel meshes by immersion in the presence of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The coating has a water contact angle of up to 153°. It exhibits high wettability. It is worth noting that the adsorption capacity of coated sponges to various oils and organic solvents is 27–77 times their own weight. More importantly, the prepared coatings exhibit excellent stability in strong corrosive solutions. In addition, the mechanical properties of DTES-SEP/SiO2@PDMS coating remain stable after abrasion and peeling. At the same time, the coating shows excellent resistance to grit, methylene blue solution and clay. This research provides a reliable way to achieve efficient oil-water separation.