Functionalization of Biodegradable PLA Nonwoven Fabric as Superoleophilic and Superhydrophobic Material for Efficient Oil Absorption and Oil/Water Separation

ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2017 Feb 22;9(7):5968-5973. doi: 10.1021/acsami.6b13547. Epub 2017 Feb 9.

Abstract

Although the construction of superwettability materials for oil/water separation has been developed rapidly, the postprocess of the used separation materials themselves is still a thorny problem due to their nondegradation in the natural environment. In this work, we reported the functionalization of polylactic acid (PLA) nonwoven fabric as superoleophilic and superhydrophobic material for efficient treatment of oily wastewater with eco-friendly post-treatment due to the well-known biodegradable nature of PLA matrix.

Keywords: PLA nonwoven fabric; biodegradable; oil absorption; oil/water separation; superoleophilicity and superhydrophobicity.