Ultralight, superhydrophobic, low-cost nitrogen-doped graphene aerogels with a “honeycomb” porous structure for efficient oil removal

Abstract

Nowadays, physical absorption has become a feasible method to tackle the increasingly severe marine pollution. However, traditional aerogels suffer from low oil absorption capacity and poor compressibility, and high performance aerogels typically have the drawbacks of complex process flow and expensive raw materials. In this paper, inexpensive industrial raw material melamine was introduced into a graphene aerogel framework, and the aerogel presented ultralow density (3.54 mg cm⁻³), super-hydrophobicity (water contact angle is 158.2°), and excellent absorption capacity (440 g g⁻¹). Melamine doping gives the graphene aerogel a honeycomb-like porous structure and excellent hydrophobicity, enhancing the flow and adsorption of organic solvents in the aerogel. It has a high application value for solving water pollution problems caused by oil spill accidents and chemical spills.