Hierarchically porous PVDF/nano-SiC foam for distant oil-spill cleanups

Water source contamination by virtue of oil seepage and spillage necessitates immediate measures to curtail its lethal repercussions on the oceanic ecosystem. This heavily demands for the preparation of innovative absorbents, exhibiting an excellent oil uptake capacity under various conditions. In this study, we reveal an extensively porous sorbent material coalesced with nano silicon carbide, PVDF/nano-SiC, presenting extraordinary absorption capacity, remarkable durability and easy conduct during the course of absorption. The foam was facilely fabricated via a solid-liquid phase separation technique, based on the principle of differential solubility of the polymer in the solvent (DMF) and the non-solvent (water). The inclusion of nano-SiC into the PVDF matrix increases its strength and hardness, thus eliminating the issue of the withering of the as-prepared foam in the oil-water mixture. Furthermore, the absorption capacity of the foam was determined by varying the weight percentage of nano-SiC in PVDF. Optimised absorption was achieved with a 5% w/w inclusion of nano-SiC. The absorbent allows oil to selectively permeate through it, while being completely water repellent, and absorbs up to 21.5 times and 20.5 times its weight equivalent of engine oil and paraffin oil, respectively. Furthermore, the absorbed oil could be readily removed for reuse by mechanically squeezing the foam. The foam could be reused for absorbing oils, at least four times, with a slight decline in its absorption capacity. The convincing results of this research provide an advanced alternative for cleaning massive oil spills at distant locations.