Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Journal of Vinyl and Additive Technology, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Traditional sorption materials suffer from several significant drawbacks, including low sorption capacity, poor effectiveness in removing heavy oils, limited efficiency in oil–water separation, and inadequate flame-retardant properties during oil spill incidents. In this study, an environmentally benign and multifunctional composite sponge with enhanced flame-retardant properties was developed by modifying a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) sponge fabricated via a low-cost and simple sugar molding method. Boric acid (BA) and borax (BX), both halogen-free and low-toxicity boron-based compounds, were incorporated at different ratios to improve the thermal stability of the sponge, with a 1:1 BA/BX composition showing the most favorable performance. Subsequently, a dispersion containing candle soot (CS), a waste-derived carbonaceous material, was impregnated into the sponge to increase surface roughness and hydrophobicity. The resulting PDMS@BA1/BX1@CS sponge demonstrated improved self-cleaning behavior against common contaminants, with a static contact angle of approximately ~139°, along with high oil–water separation efficiency. The modified sponges showed sorption capacities ranging from 6.5 to 11.3 g/g for various oils and organic solvents. Moreover, the PDMS@BA1/BX1@CS sponge extinguished the ignited flame within 12 s after adsorbing the flammable solvent. These results reveal that the developed sponge has great potential for applications such as oil–water separation, rapid fire extinguishing, and self-cleaning.