Preparation of modified superhydrophobic sponge and its application in xylene leakage recovery

In recent years, a considerable increase in demand and transportation of organic chemicals has caused frequent spill accidents, usually posing a severe threat to the aquatic ecological system. In order to recycle and remove chemicals from water effectively, modified melamine sponge with a superhydrophobic surface was prepared by a facile and inexpensive method. Polyvinyl chloride and modified SiO2 nanoparticles were applied to fabricate water-repellent coatings on the surface of melamine sponge. The results showed that the water contact angle of the modified sponge was improved to 150°. The sorption capacity for xylene reaches 41.45 g/g, which can still achieve 93% after 500 cycles of absorption and desorption. And the xylene – water separation efficiency can reach 99%. The results indicate that the modified sponge has a great application perspective in xylene leakage recovery and water purification.