Nonfouling capture-release substrates based on polymer brushes for separation of water-dispersed oil droplets.

We have demonstrated capture and release of underwater-oil droplets based on fouling-resistant surfaces coated with pH-responsive polymer brushes. In response to the change of environmental pH, oil droplets were captured on the polymer brush-modified surfaces in the high adhesion state. As the droplet volume increased upon coalescence with other oil droplets in the aqueous phase, the captured droplets eventually self-released from the surfaces under the influence of buoyancy and rose to the air-water interface. The fact that the polymer brush surfaces were partially oil-wettable (high oil-in-water contact angles) enabled the adhesion but not the spreading of oil droplets. This allowed buoyancy release of oil droplets and led to fouling-resistant surfaces that could be reused for capture-release of more oil droplets. The practicality and versatility of this oil droplet capture-release system was demonstrated using monodisperse and polydisperse hydrocarbon oil compositions in purified water, tap water, and brines in which the salt concentration was as high as that of seawater.