Natural Juncus effusus fiber-based separator with 3D porous structure for oil/water emulsion separation

The leakage of oil and organic solvents has emerged as the primary factor of water resources contamination and environmental degradation, causing an urgent and desirable quest for widely exploring and developing eco-friendly materials with hydrophobicity and lipophilicity. Herein, we presented a biomass-based separator composed of poly(vinyl butyral) (PVB) and natural Juncus effusus (JE) which effectively separated oil-water mixtures, to address the aforementioned issue. The as-prepared PVB/JE-based separator, benefiting from the microporous, inner three-dimensional (3D) structure, and natural wettability of JE fiber, exhibits satisfied oil absorption and separation capabilities. The hydrophobic porous in PVB/JE can effectively block the water within the oil, while providing saturated oil absorption capacity. Furthermore, the separator can also efficient separate water in multiple types of water-in-oil surfactant-stabilized emulsion (separation efficiency > 93%). After repeated use (10 cycles) or continuous filtration (20 min), the separator maintained good separation efficiency ( > 83%) and flux ( > 2000 L m −2 h −1 ). The PVB/JE-based separator exhibited satisfied potential for the rational utilization of biomass materials and application in oil/water separation, owing to its convenient manufacturing process, high separation efficiency, and eco-friendly raw material.