In-Situ Simple Fabrication of Superhydrophobic and Bacteriostatic Indole-Based Sponge via Strong π–π Stacking for Efficient Oil–Water Emulsion Separation

Sorbent materials for efficient oil-water separation are crucial due to the increasing discharge of industrial and environmental oil pollutants. Herein, we report the fabrication of a superhydrophobic and bacteriostatic poly(triazatruxene) (PTAT)-coated melamine sponge (MF@PTAT) via a one-step in situ polymerization method, utilizing strong π-π stacking interactions between the triazatruxene rings and melamine skeleton. The MF@PTAT material displayed a water contact angle of 158.6°, high porosity, and excellent compression recovery, with an outstanding ability to absorb oils and organic solvents, up to 186.7 g/g. Furthermore, the material demonstrated excellent performance in separating oil-water emulsions, achieving an impressive efficiency of 99.3%. In addition, MF@PTAT demonstrated significant antibacterial performance, effectively inhibiting bacterial growth. The combination of a simple fabrication method, superior oil-water separation efficiency, and strong antibacterial properties makes the low-cost MF@PTAT material highly promising for oil contaminant treatment across various applications.