A sustainable hydrophobic luffa sponge for efficient removal of oils from water

A sponge was designed for separating oils from water, which is based on the natural luffa sponge functionalized with stearic acid (L-SA), both natural and abundant renewable resources. Several sponges were prepared using a simple, inexpensive and easily scalable immersion method. The L-SA sponges showed an absorption capacity of 15 ± 2, 14 ± 2 and 12 ± 3 g g−1 with vegetable, used motor and motor oils respectively, after an immersion time of 240...