Chitosan interpenetrating polymer network(IPN) hydrogels for Oil-Water and emulsion separation

Hydrogels have obtained extensive attention in oil-water separation due to their high hydrophilicity and weak viscosity. However, most hydrogels have limited applications due to their subpar mechanical qualities. The interpenetrating network gives the hydrogel material high mechanical properties due to the presence of physical and chemical crosslinking. Hence, polyvinyl alcohol/chitosan/polyacrylamide interpenetrating polymer network hydrogel (HAPC-Gel) was created in this study. HAPC-Gel coating filter cloth showed underwater super-oleophobic (the oil contact angles about 159 degrees) and could stably separate oil-water mixtures in different oil phases and complex environments (acids, bases, salts), and the removal rate is still above 99% after 20 cycles of separation. Furthermore, the water could be divided from the oil-in-water emulsion. These results indicate that HAPC-Gel composites have promising applications in oil-water separation.

Automated summary

Hydrogels have gained significant attention in oil-water separation due to their high hydrophilicity and low viscosity. However, their mechanical properties often limit their applications. In this study, a polyvinyl alcohol/chitosan/polyacrylamide interpenetrating polymer network hydrogel (HAPC-Gel) was created, which exhibited excellent mechanical properties. The HAPC-Gel coating filter cloth showed underwater super-oleophobicity and could effectively separate oil-water mixtures in various oil phases and complex environments. The results demonstrate the promising applications of HAPC-Gel composites in oil-water separation.