Ultra-high flux and efficient oil-water separation via polymer-based electrophoretic deposition

A highly efficient steel mesh-based coating for oil-water separation with ultra-high flux was fabricated by an electrophoretic deposition process using a crosslinked water-soluble silicon-containing polyacrylate (WSPA). Dichloromethane, n-hexane, and toluene passed through the modified steel mesh with flux above 100,000 L.m(-2).h(-1) solely driven by gravity, while the modified mesh also offered a very high oil-water separation efficiency of 99.5%. The separation efficiency of the prepared mesh remained above 99.0% after treatment in various harsh environments, including acidic (pH 0) and alkaline (pH 14) media as well as concentrated brine for 24 h. In particular, the modified mesh was suitable for the separation of viscous oils (such as crude oil and pump oil) from water with a separation efficiency of no less than 85.0% and a flux exceeding 500 L.m(-2).h(-1). This study provides a cost-efficient way to prepare environmentally-friendly coatings on stainless steel meshes without requiring toxic fluorinated compounds.