A Facile Electrodeposition Process for the Fabrication of Superhydrophobic and Superoleophilic Copper Mesh for Efficient Oil-Water Separation

A superhydrophobic and superoleophilic copper mesh with excellent oil water separation efficiency was successfully fabricated via electrodeposition and then surface modification with lauric acid. The surface morphologies, chemical composition, and wettability were characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and water contact angle (WCA) measurements. It was found that the as-prepared surface is both superhydrophobic and superoleophilic, with static WCA values as high as 155.5 degrees +/- 3 degrees and an oil contact angle (OCA) of 0 degrees. Furthermore, the as-prepared surface exhibited excellent oil-water separation efficiency including petroleum, toluene, hexane, gasoline and diesel, even after being recycled 10 times. In addition, the as-prepared copper mesh shows self-cleaning character with water and chemical stability. This study provides a facile, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly route to fabricate large-scale and excellent oil water separation surface with high separation efficiency for a great number of potential applications.