MnO -mineralized oxidized-polypropylene membranes for highly efficient oil/water separation

Abstract

• A MnO x mineralized oxidized-polypropylene membrane was prepared. • The MnO x - OPP membrane could efficiently separate various oil/water mixtures. • The recovery rate of the water flux after cleaning was nearly 100%. • Excellent anti-fouling property and corrosion resistance were obtained. • The MnO x - OPP membrane could be used in harsh environment. With the development of industrial society, offshore oil spills occur frequently, and more and more attention has been paid to the efficient oil/water separation materials. Herein, a novel nano-MnO x particles mineralized oxidized-polypropylene (MnO x - OPP) membrane was fabricated through a simple one-step immersion process. Polypropylene (PP) melt-blown nonwoven was oxidized by acid potassium permanganate solution; meanwhile, resulting nano-MnO x particles were deposited on the fiber surface to obtain the special micro-nano structure, which greatly enhanced the PP membrane's hydrophilicity. The as-prepared membranes exhibit superhydrophilicity and underwater superoleophobicity with high separation efficiencies of over 99% for oil/water mixtures prepared by various types of mineral oil and vegetable oil, and the permeation flux is up to 61,177 L m -2 h −1 . After 30 separation cycles, no significant separation efficiency loss was observed, indicating excellent separation stability. In addition, the MnO x - OPP membranes possess superior corrosion resistance and long effectiveness, which have broad application prospects in practical oily wastewater.