Polyurethane/multi‐walled carbon nanotube electrospun composite membrane for oil/water separation

Abstract

Superoleophilic and high‐strength electrospun membranes are promising materials for oil/water separation applications. Here we report the fabrication of a mechanically robust, hydrophobic polyurethane/multi‐walled carbon nanotube (PU/MWCNT) electrospun composite membrane for gravity‐driven oil/water separation. Various electrospun composite membranes with different MWCNT loadings were developed. Spinning parameters such as polymer concentration, solvent ratio, applied voltage, flow rate, and working distance were systematically optimized. The incorporation of MWCNT has increased the thermal stability, hydrophobicity, mechanical properties, and dye adsorption capacity of the PU membrane. The optimized composite fibrous membrane (PU/0.2‐MWCNT) exhibited a percentage elongation of 502%. All the PU/MWCNT composite membranes were found to be superoleophilic in nature. The optimized composite membrane showed the highest oil sorption capacity and lab‐scale oil flux of 14.21–24.07 gg−1 and 425.44 Lm−2 h−1, respectively. In the oil sorption process, all electrospun membranes were fitted to a pseudo second‐order kinetic model. Furthermore, electrospun composite membranes could adsorb toxic dye (Methylene blue) from the oil–water mixture. The PU/MWCNT composite membrane could be a potential candidate for oil/water separation applications.

Three‐dimensional hierarchical nanostructured porous epoxidized natural rubber latex/poly(vinyl alcohol) material for oil/water separation

“…The porosity was calculated using the following formula: where is the bulk density calculated by dividing the weight by the bulk volume, and is the skeletal density, respectively 38,39 …”

“…The porosity was calculated using the following formula: where ρ b is the bulk density calculated by dividing the weight by the bulk volume, and ρ s is the skeletal density, respectively. 38,39 2.3.5 | Pore size distribution measurements N 2 physisorption isotherms were operated on super resolution microporous physical adsorption meter (Autosorb-iQASIQ). Pore size distribution was characterized by the quench solid density functional theory (DFT) model or Barret-Joyner-Halenda (BJH) model.…”

Efficient selective methylene blue adsorption by polyurethane/montmorillonite‐based antifouling electrospun composite membranes

“…The pore size (r) of the nanofibrous membranes was evaluated by employing the equation given below (Equation 3). 38 r…”

“…It was due to the overcharged density of the polymer solution, which resulted in the fast jet of the polymer solution. 38 The fast polymer jet had a shorter flight time during the whipping motion to stretch and elongate the polymer jet properly. As a result, the production of fibers with a large fiber diameter was observed.…”

Plasma surface modification of graphene oxide nanosheets for the synthesis of GO/PES nanocomposite ultrafiltration membrane for enhanced oily separation

“…In recent years, carbon-based nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene oxide (GO) have been considered as hydrophilic modifier to improve the separation performance of the membranes as well as their mechanical strength and thermal stability. [13][14][15] Various techniques such as chemical modification, 16 oxidation methods, 17 covalent functionalization, 18 and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) 19 can be used to functionalize surfaces of nanomaterials to improve their dispersion rate in solution. Among them, CVD process offers various advantages over solution-based processes such as being an all-dry, single step, environmentally friendly (without involving organic/hazardous solvents) and low-temperature process.…”