New Materials for Oil Pollution Treatment: Research Progress on Graphene-based Superhydrophobic Materials

DONG Yakun; YUAN Shuai; ZHANG Huining; ZHANG Yue; ZHANG Sen; WANG Baixiang

doi:10.16490/j.cnki.issn.1001-3660.2026.02.013

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Surface Technology ›› 2026, Vol. 55 ›› Issue (2) : 182-193. DOI: 10.16490/j.cnki.issn.1001-3660.2026.02.013

Functional Surfaces and Technology

New Materials for Oil Pollution Treatment: Research Progress on Graphene-based Superhydrophobic Materials

DONG Yakun¹, YUAN Shuai^2,3, ZHANG Huining^1,*, ZHANG Yue¹, ZHANG Sen¹, WANG Baixiang¹

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Abstract

Superhydrophobic materials, with their excellent water repellency and self-cleaning properties, show great potential for applications in oil-water separation and pollutant adsorption. However, there are still many challenges in terms of hydrophobicity, stability, and cost-effectiveness of such materials in practical applications. This study aims to provide an overview of the theoretical foundations of superhydrophobic surfaces and to review the properties of graphene-based superhydrophobic materials and their progress in applications such as oil-water separation and pollutant adsorption. First, three theoretical models of superhydrophobicity are synthesized in this study. The results show that the key factors to enhance the superhydrophobic properties of materials are to reduce the free energy of the material surface as well as to increase its surface roughness. Graphene, as a nanomaterial with a high specific surface area and easy surface modification, exhibits excellent corrosion resistance and high-strength mechanical properties. In this study, special attention is paid to the fluorination treatment, silane coupling agent modification, and plasma surface modification of graphene material surfaces, to compare these modification methods and analyze the advantages and shortcomings of each method. Physical modification and chemical modification are conducted to reduce the surface energy of the graphene surface and enhance the roughness of the substrate surface, thus enhancing the superhydrophobic properties of the materials. The latest research results of superhydrophobic material preparation techniques are described in detail, covering a variety of preparation methods, such as layer-by-layer self-assembly, etching, coating, and deposition, and the performance advantages and disadvantages of graphene-based superhydrophobic materials prepared by different methods are analyzed in depth. The study focuses on evaluating key factors such as the mechanical properties of the materials and their suitability for large-scale production. This study outlines the mechanism of graphene-based superhydrophobic materials in terms of oil-water separation and oil removal mechanisms, and demonstrates the significant advantages of graphene-based superhydrophobic materials in oil treatment applications through comparative analyses with conventional superhydrophobic materials at multiple levels. Graphene-based superhydrophobic materials are innovatively classified into powder structure, two-dimensional structure represented by membrane, and three-dimensional structure represented by superhydrophobic sponge according to their macroscopic structures. The focus is put on the mechanical strength of different macroscopic structures and their influences on the oil-water separation performance of the materials. Three kinds of materials with each other in a message are compared, and the advantages and shortcomings of different macroscopic structures of graphene-based superhydrophobic materials are summarized. Finally, the 3D-printing-based graphene-based superhydrophobic materials with a three-periodic minimal surface structure, which can help to improve the mechanical properties and durability of the materials, and greatly enhance the specific surface area of the materials, which will greatly enhance the ability of the materials to deal with oil and dirt in practical applications, are envisioned. The analysis suggests that future research should focus on optimizing the structural design of the materials to enhance the hydrophobic properties, developing a low-cost scale-up preparation process, and improving the mechanical properties of the graphene-based superhydrophobic materials to enhance the environmental stability of the materials in practical applications. This will help promote the in-depth application of graphene-based superhydrophobic materials in the field of oil pollution treatment, and provide a theoretical basis and technical support for ecological environmental protection and sustainable development.

Key words

superhydrophobic materials / graphene / oil removal / adsorption / nanomaterials

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DONG Yakun, YUAN Shuai, ZHANG Huining, ZHANG Yue, ZHANG Sen, WANG Baixiang. New Materials for Oil Pollution Treatment: Research Progress on Graphene-based Superhydrophobic Materials[J]. Surface Technology. 2026, 55(2): 182-193

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