Preparation of superhydrophobic electrospun MWCNT-SiO2/PVDF composite membranes for oil adsorption

Abstract

Abstract In this work, an useful way to fabricate the superhydrophobic electrospun multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)-SiO2/polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) composite membranes for the oil adsorption was developed. First, the SiO2 nanoparticles were prepared using the Stöber method followed by the modification with the trimethoxy (1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-heptadecafluorodecyl) silane (TMHFDS). Next, the nanofibrous MWCNT-SiO2/PVDF composite membranes were prepared by the electrospinning technique and then immersed into the TMHFDS solution to lower its surface energy. Furthermore, the structure of the TMHFDS-modified MWCNTs-SiO2/PVDF composite membranes were studied by the scanning electron microscope, the Fourier-transform infrared, the wide-angle x-ray diffraction, and the measurement results of the wetting property showed that the TMHFDS-modified MWCNTs-SiO2/PVDF composite membranes could be superhydrophobic with the highest water contact angle of 155°. The resultant TMHFDS-modified MWCNT-SiO2/PVDF composite membranes were able to absorb different oils with the adsorption capacities ranging from 4.2 g g−1 to7.2 g g−1.