β-Cyclodextrin-Grafted Cobalt-Aluminum Bimetallic Oxide Modified Acrylic Ester Resin for Oil/Water Separation

A novel method was developed to introduce β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) cage-like macromolecules into acrylic ester resin using metal oxides as a medium, resulting in high-oil-absorption resin composites. β-CD was first grafted onto the surface of cobalt-aluminum bimetallic oxide (CoAl-LDO) via a facile hydrothermal method in an alkaline environment, generating more pore structures. To enhance the hydrophobic properties of β-CD-grafted CoAl-LDO nanoparticles, KH-570 was employed as a modifier to modify nanoparticles. Finally, the β-CD-grafted CoAl-LDO/acrylic ester resin composite was successfully synthesized by suspension polymerization method. The oil absorption performance of the resin composite was evaluated using various solvents. Its saturated capacity reached 18.62 g/g for cyclohexane, 19.92 g/g for toluene, and a remarkable 31.42 g/g for trichloromethane. Even for diesel, a challenging oil due to its viscosity, the absorption reached a noteworthy 16.17 g/g. Further demonstrating its selectivity, the composite strictly adsorbed oil while repelling water. Notably, the impressive capacity remained largely unchanged after eight regeneration cycles.