Preparation of superhydrophobic CuS cotton fabric with photocatalytic and antibacterial activity for oil/water separation

A simple and low-cost fabrication of superhydrophobic cotton fabric has been reported by coating CuS on the fabric surface and subsequent stearic acid modification for multifunctional applications. The fabricated fabric showing superhydrophobicity and superoleophilicity was used for oil/water separation with high separation efficiency over 98% and desirable recyclability. Moreover, the fabric was active in degrading methylene blue aqueous solution under visible light irradiation. Importantly, the fabric was proved to possess excellent antibacterial activities against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. These attractive performances presented in this work make the fabric a very promising candidate for actual wastewater treatment on a large scale.