Crosslinked biomimetic coating modified stainless-steel-mesh enables completely self-cleaning separation of crude oil/water mixtures. (1st October 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yao, Yao; Dang, Xingzhi; Qiao, Xinyu; Li, Rong; Chen, Jiazhi; Huang, Zhihuan; Gong, Yong-Kuan
• Is Part Of: Water research. Volume 224(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-10-01
• Subjects: Antifouling membrane -- Oil/water separation -- Zwitterionic polymer -- Polydopamine -- Self-cleaning; Water -- Pollution -- Research -- Periodicals; 363.7394
• DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.119052
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0043-1354

Abstract

Highlights: Superior antifouling SSM membrane was created by a biomimetic strategy. Oil fouling on the membrane was removed completely by stirring assistance. Completely self-cleaning crude oil/water filtration was achieved with high flux. Doubly crosslinked PMPC brush coating extended the membrane antifouling lifetime. Abstract: The development of high-flux, durable and completely self-cleaning membranes is highly desired for separation of massive oil/water mixtures. Herein, differently crosslinked poly(2-methacryloyloxylethyl phosphorylcholine) (PMPC) brush grafted stainless steel mesh (SSM) membranes (SSM/PMPCs) were fabricated by integrating of mussel inspired universal adhesion and crosslinking chemistry with surface-initiated activators regenerated by electron transfer atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ARGET-ATRP). The durability and self-cleaning performance of the prepared SSM membranes were evaluated by separating sticky crude oil/water mixtures in a continuous recycling dead-end filtration device. The water filtration flux driven by gravity reached 60, 000 L⋅m −2 ⋅h −1 with a separation efficiency of over 99.98%. Furthermore, zero-flux-decline was observed during a 5 h continuous filtration when assisted by mechanical stirring. More significantly, such a completely self-cleaning separation of the well crosslinked SSM/PMPC2 membrane under optimized flux and stirring conditions had been operated cumulatively for 190 h in 30 days without any additional cleaning. These significant advances are more promising for practical applications in crude oil-contaminated water treatments and massive oil/water mixture separation. Graphical abstract: Image, graphical abstract