One‐Pot Route for Fe@Poly(styrene‐co‐divinylbenzene) Foam with Robust Physical/Chemical Stability and Remote Magnetic Driven Capacity for Oil Removal

Abstract

Magnetic and superhydrophobic materials with robust physical/chemical stability for controllable and remote magnetic driven capacity for oil removal under harsh environments are meaningful for oil–water separation but still a challenge. Herein, an alternative strategy to address this challenge is demonstrated by decorating poly(styrene‐co‐divinylbenzene) (PSDVB) on Fe foam via one‐pot solvothermal method. Different from previous magnetic and superhydrophobic materials, Fe foam is chosen to replace Fe3O4 nanomaterials. Thus, complicated preparation procedures and the high cost for Fe3O4 nanomaterials can be avoided. Additionally, PSDVB coating provides the whole foam with robust physical/chemical stabilities: i) the surface wettability can be maintained after 50 abrasion cycles or exposed in humid air (relative humidity: 90%) for 14 days, and ii) the surface wettability does not change under different pH solutions (3 < pH < 12) or highly salty solution (NaCl 10 wt%) for 6 h. Besides, outstanding separation efficiency (>99.9%), high durability (>70 times), and excellent oil flux (16 963–75 156 L m−2 h−1) can be realized under gravity. Most importantly, the foam continuously removes oil from confine place (on water surface or under water) under magnetic driven force.