One-step candle soot-PDMS dip-coated superhydrophobic stainless steel mesh for oil-water separation

We presented a superhydrophobic stainless steel mesh (SSM) developed by facile one-step dip coating of candle soot (CS)-polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) using chloroform as solvent for effective and durable oil-water separation. SSM dip coated with chloroform solution of 200 mg CS and 0.5 mL PDMS yielded water contact angle (WCA), oil contact angle (OCA) and sliding angle (SA) of 162 +/- 2 degrees, 0 degrees and 4 +/- 1 degrees, respectively. In series of oil-water separation studies, superhydrophobic mesh revealed >98 % separation efficiency with high separation flux of 7810 Lm(-2)h(-1). The superhydrophobic mesh revealed excellent mechanical, chemical and thermal durability.