Bioinspired superwetting oil–water separation strategies have received significant attention for their potential in addressing global water scarcity and aquatic pollution challenges. Over the past two decades, the field has rapidly developed, reaching a pivotal phase of innovation in the oil–water separation process. However, many groundbreaking studies have not received extensive scientific recognition. In this review, we systematically examine the application of bioinspired superwetting materials for complex multiscale oil–water separation. We discuss the development of 2D membrane filtration and 3D sponge adsorption materials in confined spaces, summarizing the core separation mechanisms, key research findings, and the evolutionary logic of these materials. Additionally, we highlight emerging open-space separation strategies, emphasizing several novel dynamic separation devices of significant importance. We evaluate and compare the design concepts, separation principles, materials used, comprehensive performance, and existing challenges of these diverse strategies. Finally, we summarize these advantages, critical bottlenecks, and prospects of this field and propose potential solutions for real oil–water separation processes from a general perspective.

中文翻译：

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仿生超湿油水分离策略：迈向开放时代


仿生超湿油水分离策略因其在解决全球水资源短缺和水污染挑战方面的潜力而受到广泛关注。在过去的二十年里，该油田发展迅速，达到了油水分离工艺创新的关键阶段。然而，许多开创性的研究并未得到广泛的科学认可。在这篇综述中，我们系统地研究了仿生超润湿材料在复杂的多尺度油水分离中的应用。我们讨论了 2D 膜过滤和 3D 海绵吸附材料在密闭空间的发展，总结了核心分离机制、关键研究成果以及这些材料的进化逻辑。此外，我们重点介绍了新兴的开放空间分离策略，强调了几种具有重要意义的新型动态分离装置。我们评估和比较了这些不同策略的设计理念、分离原理、使用的材料、综合性能和现有挑战。最后，我们总结了该领域的这些优势、关键瓶颈和前景，并从总体角度提出了实际油水分离过程的潜在解决方案。