ie0c00554_si_001.pdf (2.45 MB)
Poly(ionic liquid)-Coated Meshes with Opposite Wettability for Continuous Oil/Water Separation
journal contribution
posted on 2020-03-24, 16:09 authored by Xi Deng, Jingshun Zhang, Liren Zhang, Guiren Cheng, Bihua Chen, Yongya Zhang, Guohua GaoA series
of oil/water separation membranes with tunable surface
wettability based on poly(ionic liquid)s (PILs) were prepared via
a facile one-step photopolymerization of N-vinylimidazolium
ionic liquids and divinylbenzene on meshes. The wettability of PIL-based
membranes (PILMs) was adjusted by the structures of PILs, specifically
the alkyl chain length of imidazolium (butyl and octyl) and anion
species (acrylic anion, Br–, and PF6–). Tunability of wettability resulted in the hydrophilic
or hydrophobic property of PILMs. The hydrophilic poly(1-vinyl-3-butylimidazolium
acrylate)-based membrane (PILM-1) transported water and intercepted
oil, while the hydrophobic poly(1-vinyl-3-octylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate)-based
membrane (PILM-5) removed oil and rejected water. The two membranes
with opposite wettability showed excellent oil/water separation efficiency
(above 99%) in batch processes. Continuous oil/water separation was
also achieved by assembling PILM-1 and PILM-5 on the fabricated devices.
A T-type device could separate various oil/water mixtures continuously,
and a tank-type device could separate dispersed oil/water mixtures,
with a handling capacity of 46 L within 12 h.