One-step, low-cost and environmentally friendly method to prepare superhydrophilic polyester fabric for oil-water separation

Polyester (PET) fabric is currently the world's most produced and widely used synthetic fiber due to its excellent mechanical properties, thermal stability and corrosion resistance. However, the poor hydrophilicity and hygroscopicity of PET fabric limit its application. In this paper, based on tannic acid (TA) and 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES), a simple and efficient one-step method was used to construct TA-APTES nanoparticle coating on the surface of PET fabric to obtain superhydrophilicity. The surface morphology, microstructure and coating durability of the modified PET fabric were investigated. The results showed that under the optimal reaction conditions, the water contact angle (CA) of the modified fabric surface was 0°, which remained superhydrophilic after 800 times of rubbing or 20 times of washing. The modified PET fabric exhibited exceptional breathability, dyeing properties, and ultraviolet (UV) resistance, suggesting its high potential in the apparel industry. It could separate the oil-water mixture with high separation efficiency (98.98 %) and water flux (6705.53 L·m−2·h−1). The separation efficiency (97.64 %) and water flux (5968.45 L·m−2·h−1) for separating oil-in-water emulsions were satisfactory. Moreover, the modified PET fabric exhibited excellent chemical stability and can perform efficiently in harsh environment.