Title
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Synthesis of a durable and efficient superhydrophobic copper mesh coated by organosilica nano/microstructures for separating oil from water
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Type
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JournalPaper
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Keywords
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Superhydrophobic Pristine copper mesh Organosilica Oil/water separation Nano/micro structure
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Abstract
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Superhydrophobic materials are widely utilized to separate oil from water. Proposing a facial method to synthesis a durable hydrophobic/superhydrophobic surface for efficient and easy oil/water separation is necessary due to the danger of oil spills for ecosystems. Herein, a robust superhydrophobic filter is introduced for oil/water separation. Organosilica nano/microstructures covered resorcinol-formaldehyde resin are loaded on the copper mesh surface to earn a roughened surface then modified by 1-dodecanethiol to get a low surface energy mesh. The prepared superhydrophobic copper mesh was shaped to a basket-like as an oil skimmer device that repels the water and collects the oil through its pores. The sample was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, energydispersive X-ray spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy methods. The sample exhibits high water contact angle, θ=149±1◦ and the oil contact angle, showing its superhydrophobic nature. The prepared superhydrophobic mesh was used as an efficient and robust filter to separate oil from water. Its oil/water separation efficiency is more than 90% and this value approximately preserves after 50 cycles. The prepared sample also shows self-cleaning property. Thanks to the stable and rough structured created by resorcinol-formaldehyde resin covered by organosilica particles and also the low surface energy provided by 1- dodecanethiol, the prepared sample shows superhydrophobic property with high efficiency to separate oil from water.
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Researchers
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Dongyuan Zhao (Fourth Researcher), Tiancong Zhao (Second Researcher), (First Researcher), Saeid Azizian (Third Researcher)
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