Robust membranes with tunable functionalities for sustainable oil/water separation

Efficient separation of various oil/water emulsions using amphiphilic, hydrophobic/oleophilic, or hydrophilic/ oleophobic-based membrane materials have attracted considerable attention in the past few decades. For sustainable and facile management of emulsions, the exploitation of membrane technology is the most dominant technique due to its comparative simple handling and operations. The high surface areas, controllable pore size, nanoscale interconnected pore structures, and chemical surface modification, superwetting membranes are themost versatile and promising tool for the destabilization of oil/water emulsions. Fromthe current research efforts on membrane materials with superwettability, another mature system arose with superwettability and became a more vibrant area, which encompasses the theme of superhydrophobic/superoleophilicity, and superhydrophilic/superoleophobic under liquid or in the air and super aerophobic/super aerophilic under the liquid. In this review, we present an overviewof hydrophilic and hydrophobicwettabilities, followed by the idea of a chemical method for effective oil/water separation. Furthermore, the detailed explanation of themembrane type of base materials (organic and inorganic) is summarized. Then, themembrane-based separation of oil/water and hydrocarbon contaminatedwater is discussed in detail. In conclusion, this reviewwill clarify the recent development in the design and construction of membrane material in a specific composition, proper size, surface morphology, and generate a good interest in the realms of oil/water separation as well as environmental issues. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This review focuses on the efficient separation of oil/water emulsions using various membrane materials with different wetting properties, highlighting the versatility and potential of superwetting membranes. It also discusses the emerging areas of superhydrophobic/superoleophilic and superhydrophilic/superoleophobic systems, as well as the chemical methods for effective oil/water separation. Additionally, the review provides detailed explanations of membrane base materials and their application in oil/water and hydrocarbon contaminated water separation.