Interface-Controlled GO–CoFe2O4–Silicone Nanocomposite with Magnetic and Adsorptive Functionality

The development of interface-engineered, multifunctional nanostructured materials with controllable surface and magnetic properties remains a critical challenge in wastewater treatment and environmental remediation. In this work, a novel GO-CoFe₂O₄-Silicone Magnetic Sponge was successfully fabricated through the integration of graphene oxide and CoFe₂O₄ magnetic nanoparticles within a silicone-modified porous sponge matrix. The resulting material combines superhydrophobicity, oleophilicity, high adsorption capacity, and magnetic responsiveness in a single architecture. The prepared sponge exhibited a high water contact angle of 161.5°, confirming its superhydrophobic nature, while maintaining excellent structural integrity during repeated use. Vibrating sample magnetometry revealed clear ferrimagnetic behavior, enabling rapid magnetic manipulation and efficient recovery of the sponge from aqueous media. The GO-CoFe₂O₄-Silicone Magnetic Sponge demonstrated strong adsorption performance toward a wide range of oils and organic solvents, including chloroform, olive oil, toluene, ethanol, acetone, gasoline, and hexane, with adsorption capacities remaining stable over multiple cycles. Furthermore, the sponge showed outstanding separation efficiency exceeding 98.3% for various oil/water and organic solvent/water mixtures, both in batch and continuous vacuum-assisted separation systems. The adsorption capacity and separation efficiency were retained after repeated adsorption-desorption cycles, indicating excellent reusability and durability. Owing to its synergistic combination of surface chemistry, porous structure, and magnetic functionality, the GO-CoFe₂O₄-Silicone Magnetic Sponge represents a promising candidate for practical applications in oil spill cleanup and wastewater treatment.