Low-molecular-weight organogelators as functional materials for oil spill remediation

Oil spills from tankers are one of the major types of man-made disasters that impact the marine environment, and they have been shown to have long-lasting effects. On prevention of the spread of oil through rapid cleanup of spills, low-molecular-weight organogelators have received much attention because of their ability to tune their properties through rational design. In this mini-review, I present a brief summary of studies focused on the remediation of oil spills via a chemical method, which involves the use of low-molecular-weight organogelators that form organogels with fuel oils or organic solvents. Moreover, recent attempts to create new improved molecular organogels composed of commercially available simple organogelators via a mixing induced enhancement method for solidifying oil are also discussed. In addition, polymer organogelators for oil spills are discussed in relation to low-molecular weight gelators. Copyright (C) 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.