Super-hydrophobic modification of porous natural polymer “luffa sponge” for oil absorption

A super-hydrophobic porous material with high absorption capability, suitable for oil spill cleanup, was demonstrated using a natural luffa sponge modified by a polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS)-based compound. Through facile treatments of surface roughing and POSS coating, the initial hydrophilic luffa sponge was transformed to super-hydrophobic having a water contact angle of 155°. The modified luffa sponge could absorb 8 to 12 times of its weight for different types of oils and could be recycled for many times in use. The effects of oil viscosity and sponge pore size on the absorption capacity were investigated; where the absorption selectivity tests revealed that the modified luffa sponge could essentially take up all the components of the oil during the absorption process.