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Reduced graphene oxide-coated cotton as an efficient absorbent in oil-water separation

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Abstract

The present work describes the fabrication of superhydrophobic and superoleophilic reduced graphene oxide-coated cotton (rGO@cotton) by a facile one-step hydrothermal used method for oil-water separation. Results from X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) analysis show the formation of a composite structure with the presence of an ultrathin coating of rGO on the cotton fibers. The contact angle (CA) between a static water droplet and the rGO@cotton surface in air was measured ~ 162.9°, which suggests the formation of a superhydrophobic surface on the synthesized product. Moreover, the rGO@cotton showed excellent absorption capacity for oils where 1 g of rGO@cotton was able to remove ~ 30–40 g of various oils in the first cycle from oil-water mixtures. The flexible rGO@cotton was reusable and demonstrated oil retention up to ~ 35–50% at the tenth cycle using simple sorption-mechanical squeezing test. Overall, the present work identifies that the rGO@cotton is an efficient absorbent for effective separation of oil from oil-water mixtures.

Oil-water separation by reduced graphene oxide modified cotton.

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Acknowledgements

Authors gratefully acknowledge the partial financial support from the Department of Science and Technology, Science and Engineering Research Board (DST-SERB) (grant number ECR/2016/000959).

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  1. Love Dashairya and Madhabendra Rout contributed equally to this work.

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  1. Department of Ceramic Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha, 769008, India

    Love Dashairya, Madhabendra Rout & Partha Saha

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  1. Love Dashairya
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Correspondence to Partha Saha.

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Highlights

• rGO@cotton-based superhydrophobic material is developed by hydrothermal method.

• A composite structure with an ultrathin coating of rGO on cotton fibers is formed.

• The contact angle (CA) measurement between a static water droplet and rGO@cotton surface in air shows CA ~ 162.9○, which suggests the superhydrophobicity of the material.

• The rGO@cotton can remove ~50–60 times various oils of its weight by simple sorption-mechanical squeezing test.

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Dashairya, L., Rout, M. & Saha, P. Reduced graphene oxide-coated cotton as an efficient absorbent in oil-water separation. Adv Compos Hybrid Mater 1, 135–148 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42114-017-0019-9

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