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Herein, a zeolitic imidazole framework (ZIF-67) composite was prepared by a rapid, simple and inexpensive situ hybridization technique applying polyurethane sponge (PU) as support, which was designated as ZIF-67-PU. The ZIF-67 nanoparticle was successfully supported on the surface of sponge skeletons mainly through electrostatic attraction as well as probable π−π stacking interactions with PAM modification of the sponge. The resultant ZIF-67-PU exhibited a remarkably enhanced U(VI) elimination capacity of 150.86 mg∙g−1 on the basis of the Langmuir isotherm model, in comparison to pristine sponge. Additionally, the mechanism for U(VI) elimination was mainly achieved through the complex reaction between C–N(H)/–OH groups in ZIF-67 and U(VI), based on XPS investigations. ZIF-67-PU represents a simple, feasible and low-cost disposal option for preparing ZIF-coated sponges of any shape that can enhance the U(VI) elimination capacity. Furthermore, this approach can be widely applied to the preparation of various kinds of MOF-sponges through this situ hybridization technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel adsorbent (FeOOH@PU) for hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] removal was synthesized using a polyurethane foam (PU) and FeOOH via a facile one-step method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), FTIR, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) characterized the adsorbent. The influence of environmental factors was investigated to evaluate the adsorption behavior for Cr(VI). Furthermore, adsorption dynamic and adsorption isotherm models described the adsorption performance. This adsorbent also treated electroplating wastewater and remediated simulated Cr(VI) contaminated soil. The adsorbent effectively removed Cr(VI) with a high adsorption rate; its equilibrium rate constant was 13 times that of FeOOH. Cr(VI) removal was a monolayer adsorption process and the maximum adsorption capacity of FeOOH@PU reached 34.9 mg Cr/g. Electrostatic attraction was the mechanism of Cr(VI) removal. Electroplating wastewater became clear and the Cr(VI) concentration decreased from 9.76 to 0.042 mg/L after treatment with FeOOH@PU. Cr enrichment in rice seedlings grown in remediated soil decreased from 7.687 to 6.295 mg Cr/kg. These results suggested that FeOOH@PU was a promising adsorbent for Cr(VI) removal and Cr(VI) stabilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal oxides, due to their low cost, environmental friendliness and wide sources, have attracted great attention. We chose iron oxide/graphene oxide (Fe3O4/GO) nanohybrids to modify a PU sponge to increase the surface roughness of the sponge without damaging its inherent structural properties. The composite was then treated with octadecane thiol to reduce the surface energy and produce a superhydrophobic and oleophilic absorption material with a water contact angle of 157°. From the absorption experiment with simulated oily water (including diesel oil, lubricating oil, rapeseed oil, chloroform, N,N-dimethyl formamide, tetrahydrofuran, ethanol and acetone), it was found that the Fe3O4/GO-modified PU sponge could absorb up to 80–170 times its own weight while showing outstanding recyclability achieved by squeeze/absorption cycles. Moreover, the composite absorption material exhibited weak magnetic properties, suggesting its recycling practicability. These results provide a quick and simple strategy to deal with oil spills and chemical leakage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous materials with excellent mechanical stability and robust superhydrophobic performance exhibit promising prospect for practical applications in the field of oil−water separation. The construction of superhydrophobic surfaces typically involve two individual steps, including increase surface roughness and decrease surface energy. Unlike traditionally approach, the superhydrophobic performance of modified PU sponge can be accomplished by one−pot approach, which does not require complicated processing procedures or specific equipment. The present study successfully developed a superhydrophobic porous PU sponge using a facile and cost−effective one−pot approach by employing tannic acid (TA), 3–aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES), and octadecyltrimethoxysilane (ODTS) as superhydrophobic modifiers. The water contact angle of the modified PU sponge was determined approximately 152.3 °, suggesting its superhydrophobic characteristic. The modified PU sponge showed remarkable environmental tolerance when subjected to a wide pH range of acidic and alkaline solutions. The WCAs remained consistently above 150°, indicating its durability and stability against harsh circumstances. The superhydrophobic PU sponge also demonstrated remarkable of self−cleaning and antifouling capacities. The obtained sponge exhibited an impressive selective oil adsorption capacity from oil−water mixtures, ranging from 18.7 to 88.4 times of its initial mass, depending on the specific type of oil utilized in the test. The sponge still maintained its excellent adsorption capacity even after 20 cycles of adsorption–squeezing experiment. Immiscible oil−water mixtures with different densities could also be highly effectively separated by the superhydrophobic PU sponge in a continuous way. The separation efficiencies for diesel/water and chloroform/water were determined to be 98.5 % and 99.5 %, respectively, demonstrating outstanding levels of continuous separation effectiveness. With the readily available PU sponge as substrate material and the simple modification process, this work could provide a potential pathway for fabrication of cost−effective, long durable, and high efficient superhydrophobic materials in oil/water separation. • A facile one−pot approach was applied to fabricate durable superhydrophobic PU sponge. • The modified PU sponge showed environmental tolerance when subjected to different acidic and alkaline solutions. • The modified PU sponge exhibited an impressive selective oil adsorption capacity from oil−water mixtures. • The oil−water mixtures with different densities could be separated by the modified PU sponge in a continuous way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a zeolitic imidazole framework (ZIF-67) composite was prepared by a rapid, simple and inexpensive situ hybridization technique applying polyurethane sponge (PU) as support, which was designated as ZIF-67-PU. The ZIF-67 nanoparticle was successfully supported on the surface of sponge skeletons mainly through electrostatic attraction as well as probable π−π stacking interactions with PAM modification of the sponge. The resultant ZIF-67-PU exhibited a remarkably enhanced U(VI) elimination capacity of 150.86 mg∙g−1 on the basis of the Langmuir isotherm model, in comparison to pristine sponge. Additionally, the mechanism for U(VI) elimination was mainly achieved through the complex reaction between C–N(H)/–OH groups in ZIF-67 and U(VI), based on XPS investigations. ZIF-67-PU represents a simple, feasible and low-cost disposal option for preparing ZIF-coated sponges of any shape that can enhance the U(VI) elimination capacity. Furthermore, this approach can be widely applied to the preparation of various kinds of MOF-sponges through this situ hybridization technique.

The application of most current phosphate adsorbents is limited by their high cost, low removal capacity, difficulty of recovery, and short lifetime. In this study, we developed a gas–liquid reaction assisted by a coordination method to prepare highly positively charged ferroferric oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles loaded on polyurethane sponge. It was found that the gas–liquid reaction drastically decreases the size and increases the loading capacity of Fe3O4 nanoparticles as compared with the conventional liquid method. Further, the use of trimethylamine vapor induced the coordination of Fe3+, facilitated the formation of free Cl ions, and inhibited the hydrolysis of Fe–Cl bonds, thus greatly decreasing the amount of hydroxyl groups and increasing the surface positive charge on Fe3O4 nanoparticles. As a result, the Fe3O4 nanoparticles in this study have a saturated PO43– adsorption capacity of 229.8 mg·g–1, which was appreciably higher than that of conventional Fe3O4 adsorbents (57.8 mg·g–1). Our study further revealed that the introduction of a thin layer of polyurethane coating on the surface of Fe3O4 nanoparticle-composited adsorbents could drastically improve their stability while preserving the adsorption capacity under the impact of water (500 rpm stirring for 72 h). The composited adsorbents also preserve the adsorption capacity after recycling three times. Finally, the adsorption experiment on real river wastewater indicated that the composited adsorbents enable the decrease of phosphate concentration from 0.6 to 0.02 ppm, reflecting the application potential for relieving phosphate pollution in neutral waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global shortage of freshwater resources is becoming more and more serious; therefore, it is necessary to obtain freshwater by desalinating seawater resources. Solar-driven interfacial photothermal evaporation, which is an environmentally friendly and energy-efficient technology, has been used to desalinate seawater for water purification and production. Herein, the IPCA hydrogel with abundant pores consisting of carbon ink as a photothermal conversion material and PU sponge loaded with calcium alginate as a water transport medium was successfully prepared and used to obtain portable water. The parameters of the synthesized IPCA are optimized by Response Surface Methodology analysis, and it was found that the IPCA exhibits a high evaporation efficiency of 3.779 kg m -2 h -1 and up to 95.98% of photothermal conversion capacity under one solar intensity. It maintains a high evaporation efficiency and salt resistance after 10 cycles of evaporation in actual seawater. Moreover, IPCA shows a high removal of various organic dye pollutants in wastewater. The results suggest a new approach for the preparation of simple, efficient, and green solar evaporators in practical application.

The influence of different coupling agents and coupling times on the wettability of a polyurethane (PU) sponge surface were optimized. Octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) was selected as the optimal coupling agent to prepare the superhydrophobic sponge. The superhydrophobic sponge was prepared in one step, which has the advantages of simple operation and enhanced durability. The superhydrophobic sponge was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Teclis Tracker tensiometry, and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrophotometry. The water contact angle increased from 64.1° to 151.3°, exhibiting ideal superhydrophobicity. Oils and organic solvents with different viscosities and densities can be rapidly and selectively absorbed by superhydrophobic sponges, with an absorption capacity of 14.99 to 86.53 times the weight of the sponge itself, without absorbing any water. Since temperature affects the viscosity and ionic strength of oil, and influences the surface wettability of the sponges, the effect of temperature and ionic strength on the oil absorption capacity of the superhydrophobic sponges was measured, and its mechanism was elucidated. The results showed that the absorptive capacity retained more than 90% of the initial absorptive capacity after repeated use for 10 times. Low-cost, durable superhydrophobic sponges show great potential for large-scale oil-water separation.

Graphene oxide (GO) was prepared by using the natural graphite as raw materials via the modified Hummers’ method and ultrasonic stripping method. GO was reduced online after its anchoring on the surface of polyurethane sponges by a dip-coating method, then in situ reduced graphene oxide-based polyurethane (IRGOPU) sponges were fabricated. The characterizations of IRGOPU sponges were investigated using Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and contact angle measurement. The IRGOPU sponges had an adsorption capacity for a broad range of oils up to 21.7 ~ 55 g/g. A simulation experiment of large-scale oil spill using a simple IRGOPU sponge hollow tube component was designed. The process of continuous oil removal from water surface was quick and effective, and the oil/water separation efficiency could be up to 99.6%. The results indicated that the IRGOPU sponge hollow tube may be an optimum candidate for the oil/water separation of large-scale oil spill. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, poly-dopamine modified PU sponges were applied for water purification after being modified by different chemicals. Ag NPs were firstly in situ reduced on a polydopamine–modified polyurethane (PU) sponge under mild conditions (PU–PDA–Ag). Ag NPs could be uniformly dispersed and securely immobilized on the skeleton of PU sponge, which efficiently maintained the catalytic activity and stability. The soluble organic pollutants could be catalytically reduced by the PU–PDA–Ag sponge with the appearance of NaBH 4. The target organic pollutants, including methylene blue (MB), methyl orange (MO), rhodamine B (RhB), and 4–nitrophenol (4–NP) could be completely reduced. In addition, the PU–PDA–Ag sponge was recycled for five cycles without a notable decrease in catalytic activity for the reduction of MB, exhibiting excellent reusability. To reverse the surface wetting characteristics for oil–water separation, the PU–PDA–Ag sponge was covalently grafted with mercaptan (dodecanethiol) to form a superhydrophobic/superoleophilic sponge (WCA=157.5°, OCA=0 °). The superhydrophobic/superoleophilic sponge (PU–PDA–Ag–SH) presented excellent sorption capacity in the range of 21.6–101.2 g/g for various insoluble oils and organic solvents and also showed superior reusability, which could be reused for 20 cycles without a significant decrease in sorption capacity. The PU–PDA–Ag–SH also provided the capability of continuous oil–water separation for both light oils and heavy oils with separation efficiency as high as 98.35% for diesel and 99.38% for chloroform, respectively. [Display omitted] • Polydopamine–modified PU sponge decorated with Ag NPs is successfully prepared. • The soluble organic pollutants can be catalytically reduced by the PU–PDA–Ag sponge. • A superhydrophobic derivative (PU-PDA-Ag-SH) can be constructed through Michael addition reaction. • The PU–PDA–Ag-SH presents excellent adsorption capacity, superior reusability and continuous separation efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Dy-MOF@PU sponge can successfully carry out oil–water separation and W/O emulsion separation. To intuitively reveal the separation mechanism of the Dy-MOF@PU sponge for the emulsion, a hypothetical separation process was made. [Display omitted] • Lanthanum-based Dy-MOF was used to decorate 3D PU sponge. • Dy-MOF-F@PU sponge was successfully synthesized by a simple sedimentation method. • Explore the effect of method synthesis on the morphology and hydrophobicity. • Modified sponge with excellent mechanical flexibility, durability and repeatability. Leakage of industrial oil and organic solvents seriously harms environment and ecology yet demanding highly efficient and durable materials for oil–water separations. In this work, ultra-light and highly flexible polyurethane (PU) sponges were engineered to 3D oil–water separators by coating the dysprosium metal organic framework (Dy-MOF) onto the surfaces of the PU frames. Through a facile impregnation, the Dy-MOF was attached to the full frames of the sponges. Consequently, liquid contact surfaces were extended from these on top layers to the whole rack. Superhydrophobicity with water contact angles up to 152.08° and lipophilicity enable continuous separations of dichloromethane from water through the resulted Dy-MOF@PU sponges in a continuous mode. The modified sponges own high gravimetric absorption capacities for oil and organic solvents, and high resistances to temperature variations, corrosive solutions, and mechanical abrasions, thanks to the well-connected and stable superhydrophobic/supportive interfaces. An efficient separation was successfully piloted for oily wastewater consisting of water-in-oil emulsions stabilized by surfactants, demonstrating the potential of practical water treatment of Dy-MOF@PU in complex environments. Mechanism leading to superior oil–water separation capability was studied and inferred as the combined effects of the physical and chemical properties arisen from the stable Dy-MOF and flexible but porous matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Common separation materials are divided into two-dimensional (2D) materials and three-dimensional (3D) materials, among which three-dimensional materials have excellent durability and stability. Herein, we developed a durable S@P@PU sponge by simply immersing polyurethane (PU) sponges in a blending solution of starch granules and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Blending starch granules and PDMS could achieve more reliable adhesion of starch granules to the PU sponge by utilizing the high adhesion of PDMS. At the same time, the presence of starch granules could make PDMS form a spot-like secondary structure on the sponge. The sponge exhibited excellent hydrophobicity and high organic solvent affinity, and could separate and absorb organic solvents from the turbulent flow. The results showed that the sponge could absorb and hold 46 times its organic solvent weight, with a separation efficiency greater than 98.5% for different organic solvents. In addition, the sponge maintained a water contact angle of more than 140° after 40 abrasion cycles or after immersion in different pH and salt solutions for 48 h, showing excellent mechanical durability and chemical stability. [Display omitted] • The modified sponge water contact angle is increased from 86° to 157°. • In extreme environments, sponges still have water contact angles of >140°. • The separation efficiency of the modified sponge is greater than 99%. • The modified sponge can hold 46 times its own weight of organic solvent. • The sponge has the advantages of low cost and short time consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible sensors have attracted increasing attention owing to their important applications in human activity monitoring, medical diagnosis, and human-machine interaction. However, the rational design of low-cost sensors with desirable properties (e.g., high sensitivity and excellent stability) and extended applications is still a great challenge. Herein, a simple and cost-effective strategy is reported by immersing polyurethane (PU) sponge in graphene oxide solution followed by in situ chemical reduction to construct a reduced graphene oxide (RGO)-wrapped PU sponge sensor. Ascribed to the excellent compressive resilience of PU sponge and an electrically conductive RGO layer, the constructed flexible sensor exhibits satisfactory sensing performance with high sensitivity (17.65 kPa -1 ) in a low-load range (0-3.2 kPa), a wide compression strain range (0-80%), and reliable stability (8000 cycles). In addition, these sensors can be successfully applied to monitor human movements and identify the weight of objects. Through the use of a sensor array integrated with a signal acquisition circuit, the reasonably designed sensors can realize tactile feedback via mapping real-time spatial distribution of pressure in complicated tasks and show potential applications in flexible electronic pianos, electronic skin, and remote real-time control of home electronics.

The importance of hydro-cultural growing is significantly increasing.We have been dealing with the hydro-cultural growing of cut flowers at the Department of Ornamental Plant Growing and Maintenance of Gardens at the College Faculty of Horticulture at Kecskemét College since 1988.We started our experiments by growing carnation in growing establishment without soil then we introduced other species of cut flowers and potted ornamental plants into our research work.

The importance of hydro-cultural growing is significantly increasing. As a consequence of urbanized way of life the territory of cropland has significantly decreased, due to the rapid industrialization peat stocks have diminished, the surface waters have got contaminated, the protection against ground fungi have caused more and more troubles in case of growing in soil mixture. Hydro-cultural growing offers a good solution for these problems. Its advantageous characteristics are that there is no soil work, growing can be mechanized easily, it is a growing method that saves nutritional materials and water but at the same time it needs a lot of care, expertise, and the construction of the system needs extra investment. Taking all these characteristics into consideration timing is easier, it can be programmed better than the traditional chemo-culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conductive polymer composites have been caught increasing attentions in electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding field. Due to the flammability of polymer and long-term high power working status, fire incidents on environment and human health must be taken into consideration during the preparation of the polymer materials. Thus, developing an EM waves-clean material with exceptional fire safety and smoke suppression capacity is the vital issue. In this article, a facile and eco-friendly approach to fabricate flame retardant polyurethane (PU) sponge was carried out by layer-by-layer (LBL) self-assembly with octaammonium-polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (OAPOSS) and titanium carbide (Ti 3 C 2 T x) nanosheets. With the help of silicane and the barrier effect from Ti 3 C 2 T x , the peak heat release rate (pHRR) and total heat release (THR) decreased by 50%. Thanks to the exceeding catalytic capacity of Ti 3 C 2 T x nanoflakes, the production of harmful smokes or gases such as carbon oxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO 2) were sharply reduced with 71% and 27%, respectively. Furthermore, the flame retardant PU sponge obtained electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding capacity after dip-coating procedure in MXene dispersion owing to the excellent electrical conductivity of Ti 3 C 2 T x nanosheets. The EMI shielding effectiveness (EMI SE) accomplished 32.57 dB and still remained 27.63 dB after 300 times compression. Therefore, this work could provide a promising way to accomplish flame retardant PU sponge with superior smoke suppression capacity, which could be used in cleaner production of modern electronics and EMI shielding materials. [Display omitted] • The facile cleaner approach to obtain multifunctional polyurethane (PU) sponge. • OAPOSS@MXene nanocoating was constructed on PU sponge via a clean layer-by-layer method. • The peak heat release rate and CO production was decreased by >50% and 71%, respectively. • Electromagnetic interference shielding capability remained >85% after 300 times compression. • Toxic fire effluents release-cleaner, electromagnetic waves-cleaner production of PU sponge were achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of different coupling agents and coupling times on the wettability of a polyurethane (PU) sponge surface were optimized. Octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) was selected as the optimal coupling agent to prepare the superhydrophobic sponge. The superhydrophobic sponge was prepared in one step, which has the advantages of simple operation and enhanced durability. The superhydrophobic sponge was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Teclis Tracker tensiometry, and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrophotometry. The water contact angle increased from 64.1° to 151.3°, exhibiting ideal superhydrophobicity. Oils and organic solvents with different viscosities and densities can be rapidly and selectively absorbed by superhydrophobic sponges, with an absorption capacity of 14.99 to 86.53 times the weight of the sponge itself, without absorbing any water. Since temperature affects the viscosity and ionic strength of oil, and influences the surface wettability of the sponges, the effect of temperature and ionic strength on the oil absorption capacity of the superhydrophobic sponges was measured, and its mechanism was elucidated. The results showed that the absorptive capacity retained more than 90% of the initial absorptive capacity after repeated use for 10 times. Low-cost, durable superhydrophobic sponges show great potential for large-scale oil-water separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oil spill and the illegal discharge of organic solvents not only cause the waste of resources but also damage to the ecological environment, so it is very important to deal with it immediately. In this paper, the natural sepiolite（SEP） was modified by vinyltriethoxysilane(VTES) and 3-chloropropyltriethoxysilane(CTES) to gain excellent hydrophobicity. Then the modified superhydrophobic sepiolite（MSEP） powder was loaded onto the three-dimensional polyurethane(PU) sponge by repetitive dipping and drying. The water contact angle of MSEP@PUsponge reached 155°, and its adsorption capacity for various oils and organic solvents was 26–71 times higher than its own weight. After 15 cycles of squeeze-adsorption, the adsorption capacity of MSEP@PUsponge just decreased slightly for n-hexane, rice oil, diesel oil and chloroform. Moreover, after continuous separation of the diesel and water mixture for 10 times, MSEP@PUsponge still showed hydrophobicity. At the same time, the prepared sponges showed excellent stability under extreme environment and good mechanical property after 200 compression cycles. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, compact disc-derived activated carbon black (D-ACB) was hybridized with sodium alginate to modify polyurethane (PU) sponges. After immersing the PU sponge in this suspension, it was crosslinked in the presence of CaCl 2 to obtain PU@D-ACB/calcium alginate composite sponge (PU@D-ACB.CaA) so that after crosslinking, no leaching was observed. The hydrophobic nature of PU changed to superhydrophilic for treated PU, and the water contact angle decreased from 122° ± 11.8 to 0°. PU@D-ACB.CaA composite sponge showed higher mechanical properties (with a compressive strength of 1809 ± 1210 kPa and Young's modulus of 45 ± 7.1 kPa) in comparison to the neat PU (with a compressive strength of 2.84 ± 0.08 kPa and Young's modulus of 3.5 ± 0.71 kPa). The composite could absorb organic solvents and oil 8–21 times the sponge's weight, and it showed reusability properties as well. High removal yields (82% of methylene blue (MB), 97% of malachite green, and 54% of crystal violet) were attained for the composite sponge compared to the neat PU. The composite showed fast adsorption ability with 65% adsorbed MB within the first 15 min and equilibrium almost reached within 360 min, and 98% dye was removed. The outcomes presented that the linear form of Langmuir isotherm and nonlinear form of pseudo-second-order can better express MB adsorption on PU@D-ACB.CaA composite sponge. It showed the maximum adsorption capacity of 71.32 mg/g for the lower range and 386.49 mg/g for the higher range of concentrations. The composite could be reused for five cycles and even more, and the adsorption mechanisms on this sponge mostly contain physical interactions. Consequently, this study presents an economical and effective strategy for manufacturing an adsorbent containing recycled polymeric compact discs, efficiently eliminating dyes from wastewater. [Display omitted] • Compact discs were recycled and changed to D-ACB for PU modification. • Hybrid of SA and D-ACB was prepared under ultrasonic waves. • Higher mechanical strength obtained for nanocomposite sponge relative to the pure PU. • PU@alginate.D-ACB nanocomposite sponges could eliminate cationic dyes effectively. • It showed organic solvents/oil absorbency and reusable properties as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oil spills and pollution of oily wastewater from the industrial field have not only caused serious economic losses but also imposed a huge threat to human beings. To solve these issues, the development of advanced materials and technologies for the purification of oily wastewater has garnered great concern and become a central topic. Hence, a superhydrophobic polyurethane (PU) sponge adsorbent is designed via mussel-inspired coatings by double bonds to PU sponge, followed by in situ polymerization with 1-hexadecene. The prepared PU sponge adsorbent (PU@DB@16ene sponge) showed outstanding mechanical properties including low density, high porosity, and compression recovery ability. Moreover, the prepared PU@DB@16ene sponge showed excellent adsorption of oils and organic solvents (up to 187 g g -1 ) and exhibited superior recyclability. Particularly, when the PU@DB@16ene sponge was applied in the continuous and rapid separation of oils and organic solvents, it still showed desired properties at a rapid velocity of 8.3 L m -3 s -1 . Additionally, the PU@DB@16ene sponge could not only adsorb organic solvents in laboratories but also adsorb crude oil and industrial waxy oil in practice. Therefore, we proposed a simple and convenient method to construct PU sponge absorbents with great application prospects, which would be highly valuable for crude oil and organic solvents cleanup.

The importance of hydro-cultural growing is significantly increasing. We have been dealing with the hydro-cultural growing of cut flowers at the Department of Ornamental Plant Growing and Maintenance of Gardens at the College Faculty of Horticulture at Kecskem't College since 1988. We started our experiments by growing carnation in growing establishment without soil then we introduced other species of cut flowers and potted ornamental plants into our research work (L'vai et al., 2010/b). Our aim was to examine the effect of Grodan and PU-sponge media on the growth, the yield of flowers, the diameter of the flowers and the length of the stem concerning the species of carnation 'Pink Castellaro'. In case of comparing the species our aim was to examine the effect on the development of the plants, the yield and the characteristics of the flowers: the diameter of the flower and the length of the stem. The Phytomonitor instrument is placed in the French Filclaire greenhouse and we at the Floriculture and Park Maintaining Department measure rose culture parameters in hydroponics. We measure the following factors: air temperature, leaf temperature, radiation, relative humidity of air, stem diameter and soil moisture (L'vai- Turiné, 2009.) Using Phytomonitor data processing make it possible to use nutriments in an optimal level thus apply a low-cost environmentally friendly technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• High-intensity sonication was applied for efficient coating of MoS 2 on PU sponge. • Functionalization of MoS 2 /PU was realized via in situ generated diazonium salts. • The composite sponge exhibited superhydrophobic and superoleophilic property. • The composite sponge was applied for oil/water separation and demulsification. • The composite sponge demonstrated excellent stability and reusability. Advanced materials with special wettability hold promise in environmental remediation, catalysis or superfluid, and have attracted a great deal of interest in the last years. Herein, a composite material consisting of a molybdenum sulfide/polyurethane sponge (MoS 2 /PU) was fabricated through MoS 2 nanosheets loading onto PU using high-intensity sonication and subsequent chemical functionalization by in-situ generated diazonium salts. The MoS 2 enhanced the hydrophobicity and roughness of the PU sponge and its surface could be effectively modified with aryl and carbon-fluorine groups through diazonium chemistry. The resulting F-MoS 2 /PU interface exhibited exceptional superhydrophobic/superoleophilic wettability, and allowed to separate oil/water mixtures and eliminate selectively oil from underwater or emulsions. Besides, due to the cavitation effect of high-intensity ultrasound, the exfoliated MoS 2 sheets were strongly anchored onto the PU sponge. Loading MoS 2 and/or diazonium molecules did not induce any adverse effect on the adsorption capacity of the sponge with values ranging from 25 to 90 gg−1 for different organic solvents (hexane, diethyl ether, ethanol, toluene, rapeseed oil, acetonitrile, dichloromethane and chloroform). Additionally, the hydrophobic groups covalently bonded to the surface conferred excellent stability to the MoS 2 /PU material during repeated cycles of oil/water separation, or upon exposure to harsh environments (−20 or +120 °C, acid solution of pH = 1 and base solution of pH = 14, NaCl solution of 3.0%, natural seawater, ethanol and chloroform). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A polyurethane (PU) sponge with hydrophobic/oleophilic property was prepared based on the thiol–ene click reaction, which was a simple method with only one step. Photopolymerization was induced through UV light on the sponge surface in a homogeneous solution containing polyethylene glycol diacrylate, pentaerythritol (mercaptoacetic acid) ester, 2-hydroxy-4′-(2-hydroxyethoxy)-2-methylpropiophenone, and octadecyl methacrylate. The as-prepared sponge possessed excellent selective for oil from various types of oil/water mixtures. It also had a high absorption capacity for toluene, >21 times its self-weight, and it had about 20 times its self-weight for vegetable oil, even after five extrusion–adsorption cycles, presenting a good recyclability. It created a new method to prepare oil/water separation sponge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of flexible wearable electronics, a piezoresistive sensor with low detection limit and wide strain sensing range turns out to be a great challenge for its application in this field. Here, a cracked cellulose nanofibril/silver nanowire (CA) layer-coated polyurethane (PU) sponge was acquired through a simple dip-coating process followed by precompression treatment. The electrical conductivity and mechanical property of the conductive CA@PU sponge could be effectively tuned through changing the dip-coating number. As a piezoresistive sensor, the sponge exhibited the capability of detecting both small and large motions over a wide compression strain range of 0-80%. Based on the "crack effect", the sensor possessed a detection limit as low as 0.2% and the gauge factor [GF, GF = (Δ R/ R 0 )/ε, where Δ R, R 0 , and ε represent the instantaneous resistance change, original resistance, and strain applied, respectively] was as high as 26.07 in the strain range of 0-0.6%. Moreover, the "contact effect" enabled the sensor to be applicable for larger strain, and the GF decreased first and then became stable with increasing compression strain. In addition, frequency- and strain-dependent sensing performances were observed, demonstrating that the sensor can respond reliably to different applied frequencies and strains. Furthermore, the sensor displayed exceptional stability, repeatability, and durability over 500 cycles. Finally, the sensor could be applicable for the detection of various human bodily motions, such as phonation, stamping, knee bending, and wrist bending. Most importantly, the sponge also exhibited great potential for the fabrication of artificial electronic skin. Herein, the conductive CA@PU sponge will undoubtedly promote the development of high-performance flexible wearable electronics.