Facile fabrication of superhydrophobic and superoleophilic glass-fiber fabric for water-in-oil emulsion separation. Issue 13 (July 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Xu, Buqin; Long, Jin; Xu, Guilong; Yang, Jin; Liang, Yun; Hu, Jian
• Is Part Of: Textile research journal. Volume 89:Issue 13(2019)
• Page Start: 2674
• Page End: 2681
• Publication Date: 2019-07
• Subjects: glass-fiber fabric -- superhydrophobicity -- superoleophilicity -- separation efficiency -- sol–gel process; Textile industry -- Periodicals; Textile fabrics -- Periodicals; Textile research -- Periodicals; Textiles et tissus -- Industrie et commerce -- Périodiques; Textiles et tissus -- Périodiques; Textiles et tissus -- Recherche -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 677.005
• DOI: 10.1177/0040517518801189
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0040-5175

Abstract

Superhydrophobic and superoleophilic glass-fiber fabric with high water-in-oil emulsion separation efficiency was prepared by a simple sol–gel process using MTES (triethoxymethylsilane) as precursor. The surface chemical composition, micromorphology, pore size distribution, thermal stability, and the wetting behavior of the glass-fiber fabric were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, capillary flow porometry, thermogravimetric analysis, and water (pH = 1–14)/oil contact angle measurement. The contact angle of the treated fabric at different temperatures was tested in a muffle furnace. The results show that the micromorphology of the glass-fiber fabric almost remains the same after MTES treatment, while the pore size of the treated glass-fiber fabric decreases slightly. Hydrophobic –CH3 groups are grafted onto the fiber surface and MTES copolymers are formed on the junction of fibers of the glass-fiber fabric. The treated glass-fiber fabric shows superhydrophobicity and superoleophilicity and its separation efficiency for emulsified water in the oil can reach 96.80 wt %. Besides, the treated glass-fiber fabric can withstand acid/alkaline, high temperature environments and maintain high separation efficiency after multiple cycle uses.