A Robust and Cost-Effective Superhydrophobic Graphene Foam for Efficient Oil and Organic Solvent Recovery

Water pollution caused by chemical reagent leaking, industrial wastewater discharging, and crude oil spills has raised global concerns on environmental sustainability, calling for high-performance absorbent materials for effective treatments. However, low-cost materials capable of effectively separating oils and organic solvents from water with a high adsorption capacity and good recyclability are rare on the market. Here, a cost-effective method is reported to fabricate high-performance graphene modified absorbents through the facile thermal reduction of graphene oxide on the skeletons of melamine foam. By integrating the high porosity, superior elasticity, and mechanical stability of raw sponge with the chemical stability and hydrophobicity of graphene sheets, the as-fabricated graphene foam not only possesses a rough and superhydrophobic surface, but also exhibits an excellent adsorption performance and extraordinary recyclability for various oils and organic solvents. It is worth mentioning that the superhydrophobic surface also endows the graphene foam with an excellent efficiency for oil/water separation. More importantly, the cost-effective fabrication method without involving expensive raw materials and sophisticated equipment permits a scale-up of the graphene foam for pollution disposal. All these features make the graphene foam an ideal candidate for removal and collection of oils and organic solvents from water.