Significance This letter reports on the hydrophobicity and oleophilicity of open-cell foams from polymer blends prepared by supercritical CO2. A typical bulk density of the foam is measured to be 0.05 g/cm(3). The contact angle of the foam with water is determined to be 139.2 degrees. The foam can selectively absorb the diesel from water with the uptake capacity of 17.0 g/g. The foams are technologically promising for application of oil spill cleanup. (c) 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 62: 4182-4185, 2016