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Polymers
Volume 18
Issue 3
10.3390/polym18030324
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Article

MXene/Cuttlefish-Ink Nanoparticles Incorporated Dual-Purification Sponge for Solar-Driven Oily Wastewater and Microplastic Remediation

by
Huixuan Sun
1,2,
Qirui Gong
3,
Lihong Fan
1,2,3,*,
Shilin Tian
3,
Shiyuan Yao
1,3,
Guangxu Wang
3,
Sasha You
3 and
Wei Zhang
3
1
Sanya Science and Education Innovation Park of Wuhan University of Technology, Sanya 572024, China
2
School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
3
School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Life Sciences, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Polymers 2026, 18(3), 324; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18030324
Submission received: 10 December 2025 / Revised: 22 January 2026 / Accepted: 22 January 2026 / Published: 26 January 2026
(This article belongs to the Section Circular and Green Sustainable Polymer Science)
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Abstract

The escalating severity of microplastic pollution and oily wastewater discharge has intensified the demand for recyclable, multifunctional, and environmentally benign materials. In this study, we present a composite polyurethane (PU) sponge constructed through the synergistic integration of cuttlefish-ink nanoparticles (CINPs), Ti3C2TX MXene, and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The synergistic CINP@MXene framework imparts high photothermal conversion efficiency and structural stability, while the PDMS coating confers superhydrophobicity. The resulting sponge demonstrates efficient oil absorption and oil–water separation capabilities, alongside a stable photothermal response, achieving a temperature of 84.1 °C within 10 s under 1.5 Sun irradiation. Notably, the sponge absorbed approximately 0.05 g of crude oil within 10 s, the saturated absorption capacity of crude oil under 1.5 solar days was 24.52 g/g, and the adsorption rate of 5 g crude oil within 4 min was 91.4%. Furthermore, it exhibits remarkable adsorption performance toward common microplastics and nanoplastics. Overall, the CINPs@MXene/PU/PDMS sponge represents a versatile and scalable platform with significant potential for addressing challenges in oily wastewater treatment, solar-assisted oil recovery, and microplastic remediation, thereby contributing to sustainable environmental protection efforts.
Keywords: flexible polyurethane sponge; superhydrophobic/super oleophilic; oil/water separation; crude oil absorption; microplastics adsorption flexible polyurethane sponge; superhydrophobic/super oleophilic; oil/water separation; crude oil absorption; microplastics adsorption
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MDPI and ACS Style

Sun, H.; Gong, Q.; Fan, L.; Tian, S.; Yao, S.; Wang, G.; You, S.; Zhang, W. MXene/Cuttlefish-Ink Nanoparticles Incorporated Dual-Purification Sponge for Solar-Driven Oily Wastewater and Microplastic Remediation. Polymers 2026, 18, 324. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18030324

AMA Style

Sun H, Gong Q, Fan L, Tian S, Yao S, Wang G, You S, Zhang W. MXene/Cuttlefish-Ink Nanoparticles Incorporated Dual-Purification Sponge for Solar-Driven Oily Wastewater and Microplastic Remediation. Polymers. 2026; 18(3):324. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18030324

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sun, Huixuan, Qirui Gong, Lihong Fan, Shilin Tian, Shiyuan Yao, Guangxu Wang, Sasha You, and Wei Zhang. 2026. "MXene/Cuttlefish-Ink Nanoparticles Incorporated Dual-Purification Sponge for Solar-Driven Oily Wastewater and Microplastic Remediation" Polymers 18, no. 3: 324. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18030324

APA Style

Sun, H., Gong, Q., Fan, L., Tian, S., Yao, S., Wang, G., You, S., & Zhang, W. (2026). MXene/Cuttlefish-Ink Nanoparticles Incorporated Dual-Purification Sponge for Solar-Driven Oily Wastewater and Microplastic Remediation. Polymers, 18(3), 324. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18030324

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