LAUSR

Abstract Due to the high porosity and excellent absorption capacity, three-dimensional network bulk materials with hydrophobicity for clean-up oil-spill and organic solvents discharge have attracted significant interest and attention. Herein, this work presents a facile and low-cost method to fabricate highly-hydrophobic, mechanically flexible and dynamic copper nanoparticles coated commercial melamine sponge (Cu-NPs/MS) via one-step process without any hydrophobic modification. The as-prepared Cu-NPs/MS possesses high-hydrophobicity/superoleophilicity, high open-pore structure and great mechanical property which can be used for removal oil/solvents from water. The Cu-NPs/MS absorbent shows striking absorption capacities (60–145 g/g) at static state and admirable separation efficiencies (96.4–98.6%) as oil-collecting device under the pump driven at dynamic state. Moreover, the renewability of Cu-NPs/MS can be achieved via dissolving polluted and destroyed Cu-NPs coating, and redepositing dynamic Cu-NPs coating. This report shows high-performance Cu-NPs/MS absorbent is a promising practical application in clean-up oil-spill and pollution remediation.