The invention discloses modified magnetic nano-silica and application thereof in oil-water separation. The modified magnetic nano-silica is prepared by the following steps: reacting magnetic nano-silica with an amino
silane coupling agent, so as to obtain aminated magnetic nano-silica; dispersing aminated magnetic nano-silica into paraffin, and stirring, so as to obtain aminated magnetic nano-silica paraffin sphere; adding an acid capture agent, dropwise adding bromo-
alkyl acyl
bromide or bromo-
alkyl acyl chloride under an ice-water bath condition, and reacting, so as to obtain a magnetic nano-silica initiator; mixing the magnetic nano-silica initiator with monomers, cuprous
bromide, ligand and a
solvent, carrying out deoxygenization, and reacting, so as to obtain
polymer partially-modified magnetic nano-silica; slowly dropwise adding
polymer partially-modified magnetic nano-silica into a poly(
glyceryl methacrylate) solution, and reacting, so as to obtain
polymer-modified magnetic nano-silica; and finally, dropwise adding polymer-modified magnetic nano-silica into a polyethyleneimine solution, and stirring to react, so as to obtain modified magnetic nano-silica. A modified magnetic nano-
silica particle has very good stability,
emulsified oil separation performance and recoverability.