Role of silane grafting in the development of a superhydrophobic clay-alumina composite membrane for separation of water in oil emulsion

Abstract

Hydrophobic composite kaolin-coated clay-alumina membranes are unique choices for water in oil emulsion separation. In this work, a membrane fabrication approach is presented using kaolin clay coating in the clay-alumina tubular composite support tube and subsequently grafting by different concentrations of fluoroalkyl silane (FAS: 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H, -Perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane) on the membrane surface. Different concentrations of fluoroalkyl silane formed distinctive hierarchical structures which exhibited hydrophobicity of the membrane surface. The pore property, surface roughness properties, and thermogravimetric properties can be suitably tailored by tuning the silane concentration in the grafting solution. The surfaces of comparatively higher silane content grafted (M50 and M100) composite membranes were found to be superhydrophobic. Comparably, our optimal composite membrane (M100) displayed a moderate steady flux rate of 80-100LMH (Lm−2h −1) and excellent water rejection (>99%) properties during the separation of water in hexane and toluene emulsion at a cross-flow transmembrane pressure of 1 bar. The role of silane concentration on permeated hexane and toluene flux rate, water rejection rate, surface wettability, microstructure, and hydrophobic stability reveals new distinguishing insights into the hydrophobic clay-alumina composite membrane fabrication.