A robust and stretchable superhydrophobic PDMS/PVDF@KNFs membrane for oil/water separation and flame retardancy

Abstract

The wide application of superhydrophobic membranes has been limited due to their complicated preparation technology and weak durability. Inspired by the mechanical flexibility of nanofibrous biomaterials, nanofibrils have been successfully generated from Kevlar, which is one of the strongest synthetic fibers, by appropriate hydrothermal treatment. In this study, a robust superhydrophobic PDMS/PVDF@KNFs membrane is prepared via a simple one-step process and subsequent curing without combination with inorganic fillers. The as-prepared PDMS/PVDF@KNFs membrane not only shows efficient oil/water separation ability and oil absorption capacity but also has excellent superhydrophobicity stability after deformation. The resultant membrane shows stretchability, flexibility and flame retardance because of the reinforcing effect and the excellent flame retardancy of Kevlar. We believe that this simple fabrication of PDMS/PVDF@KNFs has promising applications in filtering membranes and wearable devices.

Nonflammable and Magnetic Sponge Decorated with Polydimethylsiloxane Brush for Multitasking and Highly Efficient Oil–Water Separation

“…As displayed in Figure S7 of the Supporting Information, the fabricated PDMS‐Fe 3 O 4 @MF sponge also showed outstanding flame retardancy in the combustion test, owing to the combined utilization of MF substrate and PDMS brush structures. When exposed to heat, the PDMS‐Fe 3 O 4 @MF will release N 2 to prevent further burning,4a,26 and the decomposition of PDMS structure also can form a fire insulating layer 14b,30. More importantly, benefiting from the synergistic flame resistance of PDMS brushes and MF substrate, the PDMS‐Fe 3 O 4 @MF sponge exhibited remarkable adaptability in fire environments.…”

Preparation of hierarchically structured PCL superhydrophobic membrane via alternate electrospinning/electrospraying techniques

“…Recently, great attention is paid to superhydrophobic polymers due to their diverse potential . These functionalized materials have been used in many applications including oil–water separation, self‐cleaning, anticorrosion, and so forth. The inspiration of superhydrophobic surfaces originates from natural surfaces such as lotus leaves, duck feathers, and insect cuticles .…”

Designing Carbon Nanotube-Based Oil Absorbing Membranes from Gamma Irradiated and Electrospun Polystyrene Nanocomposites

“…To further evaluate the oil absorption capacity, a piece of membrane was dipped in the oil/water emulsion, as shown in Figure 6. The oil absorption capacity can be calculated by the increase in mass fraction (M: wt.%), as per the following equation, normalM=(m2−m1)×m1−1, where m 1 and m 2 denote the weight of the membranes before and after oil adsorption [48]. In order to investigate the adsorbed oil mass, the tested membranes were taken out from the oil/water emulsion and weighed.…”