Superhydrophobic alkylsilane functionalized cellulose beads for efficient oil/water separation

In this paper, cellulose beads (CBs) were fabricated through a simple and straightforward approach based on cellulosic pulp's mechanical agitation after the cellulose extraction from the palm fibers. Subsequently, the CBs were coated in a simple process with the hydrolysis and polycondensation of the triethoxy(octyl)silane (TEOS) for their further application in the separation of the oily wastewater, which seriously threatens the environment and human safety. The superhydrophobic CBs-g-TEOS (WCA ≈ 153°) exhibited good absorption capacities from 14.7 to 29.9 (g/g) for organic oils and solvents. They also showed good absorption capacity in acid, alkaline and saline environments as well as stable long-term recyclability and reusability (tested over 20 cycles) with an absorption capacity of 24.4 g/g for xylene and 23.6 g/g for toluene taken as an example. Due to their ecological qualities, low cost, and easy fabrication, coated cellulose beads with TEOS are a promising prospect for oil-water separation.