Preparation and properties of monolithic and hydrophobic gelatin-silica composite aerogels for oil absorption

In this study, highly porous and low density silica-gelatin composite aerogels with excellent absorption capacity were obtained. The preparation process was as follows: firstly, the gel with stable network structure was formed by sol-gel method; secondly, after soaking the gel with hexamethyldisilazane solution, the aerogel was prepared by freeze-drying; finally, the aerogel was coated with hexamethyldisilazane via chemical vapor deposition. The composite aerogels with 30% gelatin showed optimal performance in practical applications: lowest bulk density (0.068 g/cm(3)), highest porosity (96%), largest pore volume (1.24 cm(3)/g), and maximum oil/organic solvents absorption capacity (12-27 g/g). The excellent oil/solvent absorption capacity and recyclability indicated that the hydrophobic gelatin-silica composite aerogels could be a promising candidate for oil absorption. [GRAPHICS] .