Reusable membrane with multifunctional skin layer for effective removal of insoluble emulsified oils and soluble dyes

The organic pollutants, typical of emulsified oils and soluble organic dyes, is commonly found in wastewater, however simultaneous removal of them remains challenging because of their difference in surface charge, molecule size, and solubility in water. Inspired by the water purification of the earth's multilayer strata, a fibrous membrane with multifunctional skin is fabricated by coupling sub-micrometer pores layer of polyaniline (PANI) and nano molecular brush of polyacrylic acid (PAA)/polyethyleneimine (PEI) on polyacrylonitrile membrane, for cross-scale organic pollution/water separation. This ultrathin skin of PANI/PAA/PEI is endowed with submicrometer pores and strong hydration, which can effectively prevent tiny oil droplets from entering or adhering the membrane pores. Furthermore, this skin with double electric layer can selectively adsorb and even filtrate anionic/cationic dyes by protonation and deprotonation effect in different pH solutions. The synergy of these features enables this membrane with ultra-high water flux (>3000 L m-2 h-1 bar- 1), oil rejection rates (>99.6%), and anionic/cationic dyes adsorbability (>49.1 mg/g). Besides, the membrane also exhibits desirable reusability, excellent mechanical durability and outstanding acid/alkali resistance, promising for removal of insoluble emulsified oils and soluble organic dyes in wastewater.

Automated summary

By mimicking the water purification methods of the earth's multilayer strata, researchers have developed a fibrous membrane with submicrometer pores and strong hydration to effectively remove emulsified oils and soluble organic dyes from wastewater. This membrane exhibits high water flux, excellent oil rejection rates, and dye adsorbability, along with good reusability and acid/alkali resistance.