Fluoropolymer-based hybrid superhydrophobic nanocomposite coating with antifouling and self-cleaning properties for efficient oil/water separation

The production of industrial and domestic effluents possessing oily contaminated water has become a global concern as a result of environmental contamination and pollution. Newly synthesized organic-inorganic hybrid nanocomposites with special wetting and anti-wetting properties have been adopted in recent times to address this problem. However, this method has faced a few setbacks in curbing the situation, which leaves the problem persistent. In order to realize the full potential of hybrid composites in combating oil/water contamination, we synthesize a robust organic-inorganic superhydrophobic hybrid nanocomposite containing Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and silicon hydroxide (SiO₂) to coat cellulose filter paper for effective and efficient separation of oil/water mixtures. With a simple dip-coating technique, the superhydrophobic hybrid composite obtain a superhydrophobicity with a water contact angle as high as 161˚ on the filter paper. The coated membrane possessed a robust mechanical property as well as chemical stability which withstands a sandpaper abrasion test of up to 80 cycles and could retain its superhydrophobicity in acidic, neutral and alkaline media after 24hrs of immersion respectively. Moreover, the coated surface possessed nanopores which allows it to be used in oil water separation applications both under pressure and gravity with a separation efficiency of up to 99.7 % and can also be recycled many times for use. The excellent antifouling and self-cleaning ability of the coated membrane also prevents the adhesion of contaminants from the surface. The outstanding performance of the facilely and cost-effective fabricated superhydrophobic hybrid composite reveals a great potential for curbing the problems of oil contamination while addressing some existing barriers to the full potential realization of hybrid composites.