Groove-shaped polypropylene/polyester micro/nanofibrous nonwoven with enhanced oil wetting capability for high oil/water separation

Enhancing oil wettability is an effective way to improve the performance of removing oil from water efficiently and rapidly. In this study, an ordered groove-like rough morphology was exploited to engrave on polypropylene/polyester (PP/PET) micro/nanofiber surface using a three-step tailored process of blending, drawing and etching. The results showed PP/PET micro/nanofibers possessed a bimodal diameter distribution and an ordered groove-like rough morphology with groove-diameter of 100-200 nm. Additionally, the groove-like fiber surface roughness reached up to 1.13 and endowed the prepared nonwovens with a rapid oil wetting capability for separating oil and water mixtures. Furthermore, a separation efficiency of 99% was obtained, driven solely by gravity, in which the nonwovens had high stability. The proposed nonwovens may provide an efficient and fast alternative the industry strategy to large-scale oil spill cleanup.