Superhydrophobic and Superoleophilic Boron Nitride Nanotube-Coated Stainless Steel Meshes for Oil and Water Separation

Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) that can directly grow on the surface of stainless steel mesh via a vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth process are developed by a simple, cheap and scalable approach. The resultant superhydrophobic and superoleophilic BNNT-coated meshes can efficiently separate insoluble oil from water. Most importantly, such BNNT-coated meshes are stable and durable making it a promising candidate for oil-polluted water treatments.