Long Alkyl Chain Hydroxylalkanamide‐Based Gels for Efficient Phase‐Selective Metal Ion Removal and Oil Spill Recovery

Abstract Pollution from oils, heavy metals, dyes, and organic solvents threatens the environment and human health with oil spills and toxic metals severely impacting marine ecosystems. Gels offer a promising remediation solution due to their high surface area for pollutant adsorption and ease of chemical modification. This study investigates hydroxylamide‐based gelators as effective materials for environmental remediation. These gelators rapidly gelate organic liquids and commercial fuels at room temperature, selectively coagulating oils from oil‐water mixtures and forming stable gels making them highly efficient for oil spill recovery. Additionally, N ‐hydroxypalmitamide exhibits the ability to gel edible oils, expanding its potential applications in skincare, and biomedical fields. Beyond oil remediation, these gelators demonstrate metal ion reduction capabilities particularly for Cu(II) and Fe(III) in water forming distinctive green and brown complexes. This unique property highlights their potential for heavy metal removal from contaminated water and their use in analytical chemistry for metal ion detection. With their versatility and eco‐friendly nature, hydroxylamide‐based gelators offer promising solutions for addressing critical environmental and biomedical challenges.