Recent advances in oil-water separation materials with special wettability modified by graphene and its derivatives: A review

The fast development of petroleum industry causes the production of oily wastewater and water shortages, which have brought global challenges to oil-water separation technologies. Due to their excellent chemical and physical properties, graphene and its derivatives, i.e. graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide, have become research hotspots in oil-water separation recently. The present article highlights the recent advances in oil-water separation materials with special wettability modified by graphene and its derivatives. Sponges and aerogels modified by graphene and reduced graphene oxide exhibit exceptional oil and organic solvents absorption due to their superhydrophobic-superoleophilic properties. The metal meshes and membranes modified by graphene oxide not only intercept oil and organic solvents but also allow water to penetrate due to their superhydrophilic-underwater superoleophobic properties. Finally, the future perspectives of oil-water separation materials with special wettability modified by graphene and its derivatives are considered.