Aloe vera mucilage derived highly tolerant underwater superoleophobic coatingsElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: detailed experimental procedures, illustration of the stability of aloe vera mucilage under various harsh aqueous chemical conditions, demonstration of the translation of an oil droplet on aloe vera mucilage, oil wettability on aloe vera mucilage coated fabric after glucamine treatment, various physical and chemical manipulations on aloe vera mucilage coated fabric

Aloe vera mucilage (AVM), which mainly consists of an immobilized aqueous phase, is strategically exploited for achieving an extremely oil repellent and durable coating. The nature-inspired coating that is derived from AVM and appropriately modified through Michael addition reaction is capable of sustaining various challenging chemical (pH 1, pH 12, surfactant water, sea water, and river water) and physical (150% tensile deformation, scratching and other abrasions) exposures-without compromising the embedded underwater superoleophobicity. Further, this material was successfully exploited for gravity-driven and eco-friendly separation of oil/water mixtures-in various severe practically relevant physical and chemical circumstances. An aloe vera mucilage (AVM) derived highly tolerant and stretchable fish-scale-mimicked coating is introduced by the strategic use of Michael addition reaction. The naturally derived and nature-inspired coating is capable of sustaining various challenging exposures-without compromising the embedded underwater superoleophobicity.