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Polyphenolic‐Chemistry‐Enabled, Mechanically Robust, Flame Resistant and Superhydrophobic Membrane for Separation of Mixed Surfactant‐Stabilized Emulsions
Author(s) -
Ye Xiaoxia,
Ke Le,
Wang Yaping,
Gao Kaiyang,
Cui Yiwen,
Wang Xiaoling,
Huang Xin,
Shi Bi
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
chemistry – a european journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.687
H-Index - 242
eISSN - 1521-3765
pISSN - 0947-6539
DOI - 10.1002/chem.201800956
Subject(s) - emulsion , pulmonary surfactant , chemical engineering , membrane , adsorption , sandpaper , materials science , chemistry , coating , polymer chemistry , nanotechnology , composite material , organic chemistry , biochemistry , engineering
Superhydrophobic materials hold great promise in emulsion separation, but they have inherent mechanical weakness and are ineffective to separate mixed surfactant‐stabilized emulsions. Herein, we combined the adhesion ability of polyphenol–Fe 3+ bis‐complexes with the high mechanical strength of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to construct a mechanically robust and superhydrophobic coating on a collagen fiber membrane (CFM). We demonstrated that both CNTs and polyphenolic complexes competed with the surfactants adsorbed onto the emulsion droplets, serving as efficient demulsifiers to various mixed surfactant‐stabilized emulsions. CFM has a 3D fibrous structure and a high limiting oxygen index, which provides high flux and flame resistance. The as‐prepared superhydrophobic membrane can separate diverse anionic/nonionic and cationic/nonionic surfactant‐stabilized micro‐ and nanoemulsions under gravity, with a separation efficiency and flux up to 99.999 % and 1695 L m −2 h −1 , respectively. The membranes also retained the emulsion separation ability after sandpaper abrasion. These features demonstrate a practical technology for emulsion separation.