Laser Manufacturing of Superwetting Oil-Water Separation Materials: A Review

The frequent occurrence of oil spills and the massive discharge of oily wastewater pose a significant threat to sustainable and healthy human development. Therefore, it is of importance to effectively separate oil-water mixtures. Inspired by nature, many superwetting surfaces/materials for oil-water separation have been developed in recent years. However, these surfaces/materials are subject to certain limitations and are unable to fully meet practical needs. With the advancement of laser technology, a novel solution has been provided for fabricating superwetting oil-water separation materials. Based on the design theory and separation mechanism, this paper summarizes the research progress of the laser-fabricated superwetting surfaces/materials for oil-water separation in recent years. First, the basic wetting theory, design strategy, and oil-water separation mechanism of the laser-fabricated materials are introduced in detail. Subsequently, the laser-fabricated oil-water separation materials, including superoleophilic/superhydrophobic materials, superhydrophilic/superoleophobic materials, and materials with reversible or superamphiphilic wettability, are systematically summarized and analyzed. Finally, the challenges and future research directions of laser-fabricated superwetting oil-water separation materials are discussed.