Enhanced oil–water separation via superhydrophobic electrospun carbon fiber membrane decorated with Ni nanoclusters

Traditional polymer-based membranes used for oil–water separation are limited in practical application because of their poor chemical stability, easy scaling, and low efficiency. In this study, a durable superhydrophobic electrospun carbon fiber (CF/Ni/F) membrane was successfully prepared by combining electroless plating of Ni nanoclusters and fluorination treatment, and used for highly-efficient oil–water separation in harsh environment. The increased roughness and reduced surface energy endowed the superhydrophobicity of membrane. The water contact angle (WCA) and oil flux of CF/Ni/F membrane reached 164.2° and 3669 L/(m 2 ·h). For non-emulsified and/or emulsified oil–water mixtures, the separation efficiency of CF/Ni/F membrane remained above 99% under gravity drive after only several cycles. In addition, the as-prepared CF/Ni/F demonstrated good chemical stability in the harsh environment.