Fabrication of the superhydrophobic and oleophilic graphene-based sponge for the treatment of oil- and organic solvent-contaminated wastewater

Graphene, a 2D nanomaterial, has been extensively studied and applied in many applications including, but not limited to, energy storage, environmental treatment, additives for paints, rubber, and composite, sensors, and electronic devices. In this work, graphene-based sponge was facilely fabricated by simply immersing melamine sponge into well-dispersed graphene nanoplaletes solution. The prepared graphene sponge revealed superhydrophobic and oleophillic properties in nature. The graphene-based sponge showed remarkable adsorption performance toward oils and organic solvents with the adsorption capacity ranging from 40 to 70 folds of sponge’s weight. The sponge also exhibited high recyclability, which is considered as a promising material for the practical application.