Coordination-driven interfacial cross-linked graphene oxide-alginate nacre mesh with underwater superoleophobicity for oil-water separation

Lulu Wang; Yi Wang; Jiangdong Dai; Sujun Tian; Atian Xie; Xiaohui Dai; Jianming Pan

doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2020.117097

Coordination-driven interfacial cross-linked graphene oxide-alginate nacre mesh with underwater superoleophobicity for oil-water separation

Carbohydr Polym. 2021 Jan 1:251:117097. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2020.117097. Epub 2020 Sep 18.

Authors

Lulu Wang¹, Yi Wang², Jiangdong Dai³, Sujun Tian¹, Atian Xie¹, Xiaohui Dai⁴, Jianming Pan⁵

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Green Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Advanced Chemical Engineering Laboratory of Green Materials and Energy of Jiangsu Province, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China.
² State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing, 102205, China.
³ Institute of Green Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Advanced Chemical Engineering Laboratory of Green Materials and Energy of Jiangsu Province, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China. Electronic address: daijd@mail.ujs.edu.cn.
⁴ Institute of Green Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Advanced Chemical Engineering Laboratory of Green Materials and Energy of Jiangsu Province, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China. Electronic address: daixiaohui@ujs.edu.cn.
⁵ Institute of Green Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Advanced Chemical Engineering Laboratory of Green Materials and Energy of Jiangsu Province, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China. Electronic address: pjm@mail.ujs.edu.cn.

PMID: 33142635
DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2020.117097

Abstract

Inspired by the seashell nacre and seaweed, a novel GO-Ca²⁺-SA nacre-inspired hybrid mesh was prepared via an interfacial layer-by-layer self-assembly and cross-linking, using graphene oxide (GO) and sodium alginate (SA) as the building blocks and calcium chloride as the coordination agent, respectively. Hybrid mesh was characterized by FTIR, XPS, XRD, SEM and contact angel instrument, showing superhydrophilic and underwater superoleophobic property and low oil adhesion, due to its wrinkle and rough surface, and high hydration ability of GO-Ca-alginate nanohydrogels. The separation efficiencies of various oil-water mixtures were above 99 %, with a highest flux of 119,426 L m^-2 h^-1. Hybrid mesh showed an orderly layered "brick and mortar" microstructure with many ultrasmall nanoscaled protuberances. Ca²⁺ ions could chelate with SA to form the "egg-box" structure, and interact with GO nanosheets. Hybrid mesh possessed high salt/acid/alkaline tolerance, abrasion resistance, mechanical property with Young's modulus of 35.8 ± 4.9 GPa, and excellent cycling stability.

Keywords: Graphene oxide; Interfacial cross-linking; Oil-water separation; Sodium alginate; Ternary artificial nacre.