Cleaning oil spills in a marine environment is a challenging
task.13 The methods currently used to clean oil in water can be
divided into the following categories: collection of oil from the
water surface, mixing of oil with water using dispersing agents to
facilitate natural degradation, and in situ burning of oil spills. The
collection of oil using materials with both hydrophobic and
oleophilic properties is often preferred because it allows for the
proper disposal of oil and does not cause secondary pollution.
The first example of oilwater separation was been reported by
Jiang et al. using a mesh coated with hydrophobic and oleophilic
materials.4 Along the same lines, the creation of nanometer- or
micrometer-sized porous materials with excellent surface superhydrophobicity
has more recently been demonstrated for successful
use in the separation and absorption of oils or organic
solvents from water.