Magnetic amphiphilic snowman particles for dual-function oil removal and photocatalytic wastewater treatment

초록

In this study, the fabrication and multifunctional performance of snowman-shaped particles with integrated amphiphilicity, photocatalytic activity, and magnetic responsiveness are investigated. By utilizing a swellingassisted protrusion strategy on titania-coated polymeric spheres, anisotropic structures with distinct hydrophilic titania and hydrophobic polymer domains are formed. The titania domains serve as photocatalytic sites, while the hydrophobic polymer protrusions promote selective and strong anchoring at oil-water interfaces, thereby allowing the snowman-shaped particles to work as solid surfactants. Crystallization of the titania shell via thermal treatment enhances the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of rhodamine B under UV irradiation. Magnetic responsiveness, which arises from the incorporation of magnetic clusters in the titania domain, allows efficient magnetic recovery and reuse of the snowman-shaped particles. These magnetic snowman-shaped particles exhibit excellent oil removal performance and sustained photocatalytic activity over multiple cycles. The findings highlight the potential of anisotropic particle design and surface engineering in the development of reusable hybrid materials for simultaneously treating multiple contaminants in wastewater.

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