Superhydrophilic–superoleophobic coatings

A novel superhydrophilic and superoleophobic nanocomposite coating is fabricated by spray casting nanoparticle–polymer suspensions on various substrates. Water droplets can spread over the coating completely; meanwhile, oil droplets can roll off the coating at low tilt angles without any penetration. Besides overcoming oil-fouling problems for the hydrophilic coating, the superhydrophilic–superoleophobic coating applied to the stainless steel mesh can be used for the separation of oil and water.