Hypercrosslinked polymers for oil adsorption: the influence of porosity and fluorine incorporation

Abstract

The selective removal of oil and oil-based contaminants from water remains a critical challenge in environmental remediation. Here, we report a series of hypercrosslinked polymers with high surface areas and tuneable chemistries, achieving exceptional adsorption capacities for a variety of organic solvents, with a maximum capacity of >15 g g⁻¹ for chlorinated solvents. We describe how the adsorption capacities of the materials in pure organic solvents are governed by porosity rather than sample fluorine content and its associated hydrophobicity, challenging conventional design strategies. Oil/water separation tests of the most promising networks demonstrated the effective removal of toluene from water, achieving separation efficiencies of >99%. The polymers also exhibit exceptional stability in organic solvents, allowing repeated use. This work establishes hypercrosslinked polymers as robust, scalable materials for efficient oil–water separation and advanced wastewater treatment.