Fabrication of Aramid Nanofiber Hybrid Aerogel Membrane From Waste Fabric for Stabilized Emulsion Separation

By using plastic wastes as starting materials, a waste-to-resource strategy was proposed to fabricate functionalized aerogel membrane with remarkable structural stability and wetting selectivity for continuous emulsion separation. The interlaced nanofibers used to make the hybrid aerogel membrane resulted in its exceptional wettability, high porosity, and micropore size. Contact angle measurements reveal that the hybrid aerogel membrane exhibits distinctive wettability characteristics, closely resembling those found on inverse beetle elytra surfaces. In gravity-driven oil/water separation tests, the hybrid aerogel membrane achieved an emulsion separation efficiency of 99.0%. The peculiar properties of the porous aerogel membrane, due to its 3D porous structure and rough surface, have greatly enhanced emulsion separation. Moreover, after 15 cycles, the aerogel membrane retains a separation efficiency of over 98.0%, demonstrating its exceptional recyclability. Overall, this work opens a new avenue to fabricate porous aramid nanofiber hybrid aerogel membrane with super hydrophilic character from waste plastic for stabilized emulsion separation, with high potential for practical applications in oily wastewater treatment and waste plastic recycling.