The　rapid　growth　of　industries　and　population　has　led　to　severe　water　pollution,　especially　from　the　oil　and　dyes　pollution.　Recently,　MXene　with　hydrophilicity　layer　structure　and　excellent　adsorption　capacity　has　been　regarded　as　a　promising　material　for　high　efficiency　dye　adsorption　and　oil–water　separation.　In　this　study,　aminated-SiO2　nanorods　and　monolayer　Ti3C2Tx　MXene　were　combined　by　a　facile　self-assembly　method　to　prepare　a　new　composite　(NSx/MXene)　for　dye　adsorption　and　oil–water　separation.　The　results　show　that　the　adsorption　capacity　of　the　NSx/MXene　composite　was　enhanced　due　to　the　introduction　of　aminated-SiO2　nanorods　with　more　active　sites.　Especially,　the　NS2/MXene　composite　has　a　maximum　adsorption　capacity　up　to　4532.5　mg　g−1　for　AB74　dye,　which　is　attributed　to　the　electrostatic　interaction　between　NS2/MXene　and　AB74　dye　molecules.　In　addition,　NS2/MXene　modified　polyurethane　sponge　(NS2/MXene@PU)　was　prepared　by　immersing　dried　polyurethane　(PU)　sponge　in　the　NS2/MXene　suspension.　The　NS2/MXene@PU　sponge　has　a　characteristic　of　superhydrophilicity　in　air　and　superoleophobicity　in　water,　and　shows　a　high　separation　flux　of　27.44　×　104　L　m−2　h−1　for　a　cyclohexane-water　mixture.　After　30　cycle　experiments,　the　separation　flux　of　NS2/MXene@PU　for　the　cyclohexane-water　mixture　can　still　be　21.66　×　104　L　m−2　h−1,　indicating　an　excellent　cycling　stability　of　NS2/MXene@PU.　Hence,　this　new　NS2/MXene　material　has　excellent　application　prospects　in　dye　adsorption　and　oil–water　separation.　©　2024　Elsevier　B.V.