Kim, Do Hyun Jung, Min Chan Cho, So-Hye Kim, Sang Hoon Kim, Ho-Young Lee, Heon Ju Oh, Kyu Hwan Moon, Myoung-Woon 2024-01-20T06:31:27Z 2024-01-20T06:31:27Z 2021-09-04 2015-08-11 2045-2322 https://pubs.kist.re.kr/handle/201004/125129 Controlled surface wettability for oil has been intensively studied to remove industrial oil waste or oil spill pollution from seas or rivers. In particular, external stimuli-induced special wetting materials, such as photo-responsive TiO2, have attracted considerable attention for oil-water separation. In this study, a novel method is reported to fabricate a nano-sponge which is composed of hydrophobic hydrocarbon and hydrophilic TiO2 nanoparticles for oil absorption or desorption that are responsive to UV irradiation. The hydrocarbon in the nano-sponge could selectively absorb oil from water, whereas the absorbed oil is released into the water by TiO2 in response to UV irradiation. The nano-sponge functionalized porous polydimethylsiloxane released more than 98% of the absorbed crude oil with UV irradiation and air-bubbling. It could be continuously reused while maintaining a high absorption capacity and desorption efficiency without incurring secondary air or water pollution. This smart oil absorption/desorption methodology with excellent selectivity and recyclability with almost perfect removal of absorbed oil can be applied for oil-water separation, oil spill cleanup and reuse of spilled oil. English NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP WATER SURFACES SUPERHYDROPHOBICITY WETTABILITY SUPERHYDROPHILICITY SUPEROLEOPHOBICITY TRANSITION MEMBRANES TENSION MESH UV-responsive nano-sponge for oil absorption and desorption Article 10.1038/srep12908 1 SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v.5 SCIENTIFIC REPORTS 5 scie scopus 000359289800001 2-s2.0-84939166478 Multidisciplinary Sciences Science & Technology - Other Topics Article WATER SURFACES SUPERHYDROPHOBICITY WETTABILITY SUPERHYDROPHILICITY SUPEROLEOPHOBICITY TRANSITION MEMBRANES TENSION MESH porous carbon hydrophilic-hydrophobic oil-water separation nanosponge