Elastomer-based sorbents for oil-water solvent separation

Developing absorbents with high selectivity for oils and organic solvents is crucial to address the issue of industrial and domestic oil effluent contamination. In the study, 3-D microporous polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) sponges were fabricated using a sugar-templating technique for oil-water separation. The study investigates the filtration and absorption capacity of PDMS elastomeric sponges towards solvents. The PDMS sponge demonstrated an absorption capacity of 223.27 ± 10.63% for coconut oil and 530.40 ± 22.98% for petrol within a time frame of 180 min. During the 60-cycle reusability test, the PDMS sponge exhibited an absorption capacity that consistently ranged from 198% to 220% for coconut oil and 438% to 543% for petrol, whereas the desorption capacity ranged from 30% to 50% for coconut oil and 229% to 295% for petrol. The fabricated sponges exhibited a highly interconnected 3-D microporous structure with high filtration of coconut oil and petrol from water. The chemical characteristics and hydrophobic (water contact angle 112 ± 5.12°) surface properties of PDMS enables the fabrication of a sponge with excellent oil absorption capabilities for oil spill remediation.