Liquid-infused interfacial floatable porous membrane as movable gate for ultrafast immiscible oil/water separation

Abstract Liquid separation methods are widely used in industrial and everyday applications, however, their applicability is often constrained by low efficiency, membrane fouling, and poor energy efficiency. Herein, a conceptually novel liquid-infused interfacial floatable porous membrane (LIIFPM) sy...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jianlin Yang, Xin Yang, Tianlu Yu, Zhecun Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024-01-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-40262-x
Description
Summary:Abstract Liquid separation methods are widely used in industrial and everyday applications, however, their applicability is often constrained by low efficiency, membrane fouling, and poor energy efficiency. Herein, a conceptually novel liquid-infused interfacial floatable porous membrane (LIIFPM) system for high-performance oil/water separation is proposed. The system functions by allowing a liquid to wet and fill a superamphiphilic porous membrane, thereby creating a stable liquid-infused interface that floats at the oil/water interface and prevents the passage of immiscible liquids. The lower-layer liquid can outflow directly, while the flow of the upper-layer liquid is stopped by the membrane. Remarkably, the efficiency of the LIIFPM system is independent of the membrane pore size, enabling ultrafast immiscible oil/water separation in an energy-saving and antifouling manner.
ISSN:2045-2322