Hydrophobic SiO2 nanoparticles were prepared by depositing polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) on SiO2. By
dip-coating a solution of PDMS-coated SiO2 and adhesives dissolved in hexane, cotton and kapok surfaces
were modified. The dip-coated cotton and kapok showed high repellency towards water with a water
contact angle exceeding 150. High selectivity towards oil sorption from oil/water mixture was also
achieved. The dip-coated cotton and kapok were shown to be able to absorb a quantity of oil 20–60
times their own weight, depending on the type of oil. It was also demonstrated that the absorbed oil
can be mechanically extracted from the absorbent and the absorbent can be reused