Synthesis of granulated hydrophobic magnetic sorbents and composite sponges based on Fe3O4/Zn-Al-LDH for oil pollution removal

In this study, we present a novel surface modification approach for magnetic composite materials based on Fe3O4/Zn-Al layered double hydroxides (LDH) to enhance their hydrophobic properties. We have systematically investigated the interaction mechanisms between various surfactants (stearate, oleate, and sodium dodecyl sulfate) and the Fe3O4/Zn-Al-LDH surface. Our research examined how ethanol-mediated hydrophobization affects the material's porous and crystalline structure. We developed innovative synthesis routes for both granulated and sponge-like magnetic sorbents utilizing melamine-formaldehyde resin as a binding matrix. Under optimized conditions, the resulting Fe3O4-LDH-ST granulated sorbents and MEL-Fe3O4/LDH-ST sponge-like materials demonstrated exceptional oil sorption capacities of 0.60 and 21.36 g/g, respectively, combined with significant magnetic susceptibility, enhanced hydrophobicity, and excellent regeneration potential. These engineered materials show promise for marine oil spill remediation and environmental monitoring applications.