PAN/ CB spheres modified PAN/PVP dual amphiphilic porous nanofiber membranes for high-performance oil-water separation

Efficient treatment of oily wastewater remains a significant challenge, particularly for rapid emulsion separation under gravity-driven conditions. Among existing strategies, membrane separation has attracted considerable attention due to its high operational efficiency and simplicity. This study integrates electrospinning and electrostatic spraying to fabricate a high-performance, antifouling fibrous membrane with hierarchical roughness and amphiphilicity. The resulting porous amphiphilic PAN/PVP-PAN/CB membrane demonstrates exceptional separation performance for both oil-water mixtures and emulsions under gravity, achieving remarkable water fluxes of ∼62,946.4 L·m⁻²·h⁻¹ (mixtures) and 1780.4 L·m⁻²·h⁻¹ (emulsions), with separation efficiencies exceeding 99 % for all systems. The membrane also exhibits robust cycling stability. This work presents a novel PAN/PVP- PAN/CB nanofibrous membrane with outstanding oil-water separation capability and practical processability, offering a sustainable material solution for environmental remediation.