Solution-blow spun PLA/SiO2 nanofiber membranes toward high efficiency oil/water separation

With the ever frequent of industrial organic solvent emissions and oil spillages, the development of high efficiency oil/water separation materials has attracted extensive attention. Here, PLA-based nanofiber membranes modified with metal oxides (SiO 2 , TiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , and CeO 2 ) are fabricated through blow spinning the mixed solution of polylactic acid (PLA) and metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs). Results shows that the addition of SiO 2 NPs significantly increases the hydrophobicity of the membranes, while maintaining the excellent superoleophilicity. The PLA/SiO 2 nanofiber membranes demonstrate a higher separation performance than pure PLA, PLA/TiO 2 , PLA/Al 2 O 3 , and PLA/CeO 2 nanofiber membranes with high separation efficiency (~100%) and permeation flux (17,800 L m −2 h −1 for n-heptane), as well as prominent oil adsorption capacity (19.9 g/g for n-hexane). The successful fabrication of metal oxides modified PLA nanofiber membranes with high separation and adsorption ability, and excellent durability hold great application potential in the field of oily wastewater treatment.