Multifunctional membranes with super-wetting characteristics for oil-water separation and removal of hazardous environmental pollutants from water: A review

Umair Baig; Muhammad Faizan; Mohd Sajid

doi:10.1016/j.cis.2020.102276

Multifunctional membranes with super-wetting characteristics for oil-water separation and removal of hazardous environmental pollutants from water: A review

Adv Colloid Interface Sci. 2020 Nov:285:102276. doi: 10.1016/j.cis.2020.102276. Epub 2020 Oct 8.

Authors

Umair Baig¹, Muhammad Faizan², Mohd Sajid³

Affiliations

¹ Center for Research Excellence in Desalination & Water Treatment and Center for Environment and Water, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: umairbaig@kfupm.edu.sa.
² Department of Mechanical Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia.
³ Department of Chemical Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia.

PMID: 33039840
DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2020.102276

Abstract

Over the past few years, oil-water separation techniques have been widely researched due to influences of oil pollution. The oil pollution is significantly increasing day-by-day because of ever-increasing usage of oil in daily routine of humans and industrial activities. The separation of water from oil-water emulsions/mixtures through membrane technology has provided absolute necessary qualities such as low cost, eco-friendly, easy-operation and energy efficient. To build up the filter membranes with special super-wettability properties and bearing excellent multifunctional applications is highly attractive research area in current decade. However, evolution of membrane technology suffered many deficiencies including severe fouling, short-standing against high flow speed, surface wettability disorders, non-reusable and limited application. In this review article, we outline the recent advances in membrane technology with respect to special super-wettability properties, enhanced characteristics for purpose to serve oil-water separation, and more specifically its multifunctional applications. Therefore, this study is made for membranes having other than applications, in addition to oil-water separation. Further, the wetting phenomenon of these multifunctional membranes is addressed and highlighted the brief overview of surface wetting types including Superhydrophobic-Superoleophilic membranes, Superhydrophilic-Superoleophobic membranes, and Superhydrophilic-underwater Superoleophobic membranes. Moreover, relative fabrication procedures and multifunctional applications of developed multifunctional super-wetting membranes are also discussed along with wetting behavior. Finally, the current developments and achievements for oil-water separation multifunctional super-wetting membranes are concluded. Besides, it also explores the future challenges and obstacles associated to these membranes. Hence, this article provides brief overview of advancement of oil-water separation based multifunctional super-wetting membranes and ended with new thoughts of further modification/enhancement.

Keywords: Membrane fabrication; Multifunctional membranes; Oil-water separation; Removal of toxic pollutants; Super-wetting characteristics.

Publication types

Review