Superhydrophilic and underwater superoleophobic modified chitosan-coated mesh for oil/water separation

• We fabricate modified CS-based mesh with superhydrophilicity and underwater superoleophobicity.
• Water can pass through the mesh by gravity force while oils can block up underwater.
• The modified CS-based mesh can separate various oil/water mixtures with > 99% separation efficiency.
• The modified CS-based mesh can keep the stability after 20 separation cycles.

To develop an effective and simple approaches for the cleaning-up of the oily wastewater, a superhydrophilic and underwater superoleophobic mesh that can be applied to separate oil/water mixtures is prepared by spraying chitosan–silica nanoparticles–glutaraldehyde composite on the stainless steel mesh. The mesh can separate a series of different oil/water mixtures with > 99.0% separation efficiency in the harsh environment such as acidic, saline or alkaline conditions, making it promising for practical oil/water separation applications.

Figure optionsDownload high-quality image (101 K)Download as PowerPoint slide