Study on the efficient selective oil absorption and recovery of hydrophobic chitosan aerogels

Abstract Chitosan (CS) aerogels were prepared by an ice templating method and their surfaces were then coated with reduced graphene oxide to form modified biodegradable CS (MCS) aerogels. The MCS aerogels retained the porous CS structure after modification. Based on the characteristics of high porosity and hydrophobicity, the MCS aerogels exhibited a highly selective absorption ability of oils from water. The oil absorption capacity of MCS aerogels could achieve 92.63 g g−1 for chloroform. In addition, the compressive strength of the MCS aerogels increases after modification, so they are recyclable. Therefore, the MCS aerogels could be a kind of green, biodegradable, efficient, and cost-effective absorbent for spilled oils.