Durable ultra-high hydrophobic oil absorbing materials based on biomass prepared via a simple low-cost strategy

Wood is renewable and biodegradable natural resource which has been widely used in construction industry and home furnishing; however, it absorbs moisture easily limiting its application. Herein, an ultra-hydrophobic wood was developed with acetylated β-cyclodextrin (Ac-β-CD). Due to the unique hydrophobic cavity structure of Ac-β-CD, a special micro/nanostructure was constructed on the wood cell wall achieving a maximum water contact angle of 150.5°. Also, it was stable at 137°, with a contact angle change rate of 1.16% during 10–100 s. The tensile strength of Ac-β-CD-wood increased by 58.76% due to the hydrogen bond network across the wood, and it also showed good performance in oil absorption capacity. Moreover, Ac-β-CD-wood can withstand more than 100 wipes while retaining its hydrophobic property. Therefore, this study provides a new eco-friendly strategy for producing biodegradable hydrophobic oil-absorbing wood with outstanding tensile strength and dimensional stability.