An I-doped (BiO)2CO3 nanosheets-wrapped carbon cloth for highly efficient separation of oil-in-water emulsions

(BiO)2CO3 was introduced on the surface of a carbon cloth through a facile hydrothermal route; the carbon cloth surface possessed superamphilicity in air, superhydrophobicity under oil with a contact angle of 156° and superoleophobicity under water with a contact angle of 154°. This material showed a high separation efficiency of 99.91% for emulsifier-stabilized emulsions. We conducted recycling experiments and abrasion experiments to study the physical properties and stability of the material. The materials had good recyclability and abrasion resistance. The material also displayed photoresponsive wettability; and a possible explanation was proposed.