Carbon-based polymer nanocomposite membranes for oily wastewater treatment

Increasing oil contaminants in water is one of the major environmental concerns due to negative impacts on human health and aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. The objective of this review paper is to highlight recent advances in the application carbon-based polymer nanocomposite membranes for oily wastewater treatment. Carbon-based nanomaterials, including graphene and graphene-oxide (GO), carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and carbon nanofibers (CNFs), have gained tremendous attention due to their unique physicochemical properties, such as excellent chemical and mechanical stability, electrical conductivity, reinforcement capability, and their antifouling properties. This review encompasses innovative carbon-based membranes for effective oil-water separation and provides a critical comparison of these membranes regarding the permeation flux, wettability, and flux recovery. The current challenges for the successful development of carbon-based nanocomposite membranes and opportunities for future research are also discussed.