Rational design of a super anti-fouling PVDF-PC-TBT@X membrane for emulsion/dye wastewater separation

The exploration of membrane separation materials with special wettability has been widely focused in the field of oily wastewater treatment. However, serious membrane fouling and functional singularity are still bottlenecks in existing methods. In this paper, a proanthocyanidin (PC)-Ti composite network was constructed on the poly-vinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane through a layer-by-layer self-assembly process. The modified membrane exhibits superhydrophilic-underwater superoleophobicity with good resistance to oil fouling. The separation flux and efficiency of the oil-in-water emulsion could reach 969.6 L & sdot;m- 2h-1 and 99.2 %, respectively. After severe chemical stability, mechanical stability, and long-term exposure tests, the emulsion separation flux and efficiency still reached 841.7 L & sdot;m- 2h-1 and 99 %, showing excellent stability and weatherability. In addition, the mem-brane can filter both oils and dyes in the water, realizing the simultaneous removal of multi-component pol-lutants in oily wastewater (dye removal rate exceeds 99.9 %). Through a simple desorption process, the membrane can be recycled. The preparation strategy of the special wettable membrane provided in this study has potential application in practical oily wastewater treatment.