Preparation of Superhydrophobic PU@CuS via Electroless Plating and Its Application on Photothermal-Assisted Separation of High-Viscosity Crude Oil from Water

-hexane and dichloromethane-water mixture even after undergoing 10 cycles. The surface temperature of the modified sponge was increased to 74 °C within 180 s under 1 sun irradiation and a sustained crude oil absorption capacity of 20 g/g even after 10 cycles. In continuous crude oil remediation, the modified sponge collected 3.257 g within 15 min at a rate of 0.542 g/min. Additionally, the modified sponge revealed superior stability against immersion in seawater and different pH solutions, exposure to UV light, sand abrasion, mechanical compression, and cyclic photothermal performance. This research presents a new strategy for depositing a photothermal component on sponge surfaces to improve crude oil cleanup.