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A novel hydroxofluorographene-coated melamine foam for efficient and repeatable oil removal from water

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Abstract

With the frequent occurrence of oil spill accidents and the continuous discharge of oily water during oil production and transportation, effective oil removal from environmental water by adsorption still faces severe challenges. Here, a novel absorbent hydroxofluorographene-coated melamine foam, namely G(OH)F@MF, with high affinity to oils was fabricated via stepwise assembly. The G(OH)F@MF absorbent achieved effective removal of various oils within 1 min with relatively high adsorption capacities for petrol (89.34 g/g), lubricating oil (89.60 g/g), and peanut oil (104.79 g/g). Furthermore, it could be regenerated by simply squeezing and reused for more than 10 times with an adsorption capacity exceeding 37.12 g/g. In addition, the results indicated that the G(OH)F@MF absorbent was suitable for oil cleanup at a wide range of pH values (4–12) and temperatures (5–45 °C). The adsorption performance of the material was stable in the presence of natural organic matter and even in different water environments. This study can provide a novel sorbent and method for the green, rapid, recyclable, and stable removal of oils from environmental water.

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Funding

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51779076); the Foundation for Innovative Research Groups of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51421006); the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (PAPD); and the Top-Notch Academic Programs Project of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (TAPP).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lake of Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, People’s Republic of China

    Xinyi Zhou, Yi Li, Chi Zhang, Yuming Wang & Yumiao Lu

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  1. Xinyi Zhou
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  2. Yi Li
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  3. Chi Zhang
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  4. Yuming Wang
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  5. Yumiao Lu
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Correspondence to Yi Li.

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Zhou, X., Li, Y., Zhang, C. et al. A novel hydroxofluorographene-coated melamine foam for efficient and repeatable oil removal from water. Environ Sci Pollut Res 27, 8071–8081 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-07113-7

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