US 11,491,448 B2 · Hybrid membrane and method for separating oil and water

Abstract

A hybrid membrane, particularly of polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/graphene oxide (GO)/SiO2, separates oil and water even from emulsions. The membrane can be made by one-step electrospinning, adding GO and SiO2 nanofillers in PAN in various concentrations. The nanofillers may be uniformly embedded in the nanofibrous structure of the electrospun hybrid membrane, with GO mainly embedded inside the PAN nanofibers and may cause knots, and/or SiO2 nanoparticles embedded on the nanofiber surface and may form micro-nano fiber surface protrusions. Hierarchical structures formed can have enhanced hydrophilicity due to oxygen-containing groups on both SiO2 and GO, and have >99% oil rejection from oil-water emulsions. Separation flux and phase rejection of gravity separation may be enhanced by incorporation of nanofillers, which may also enhance membrane mechanical properties. Separated water flux may be enhanced from 2600 (pure PAN) to 3151 Lm−2h−1 for the hybrid.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A membrane, comprising:

an electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofiber;
from 1.5 wt % to 2.5 wt % relative to the total membrane weight of graphene oxide;
and
from 7.5 wt % to 10 wt % relative to the total membrane weight of silicon dioxide nanoparticles;
wherein at least a portion of the graphene oxide is in flake form having an average longest dimension in a range of from 50 to 1250 nm,
wherein the graphene oxide is embedded in the PAN nanofibers forming knots, and
wherein the silicon dioxide nanoparticles are on a surface of the PAN nanofibers forming micro-nano protrusions on the nanofiber surface.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Hybrid membrane and method for separating oil and water

Life of this patent

Hybrid membrane and method for separating oil and water

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13