A wood-based MOF membrane with high flux and efficiency for oil-in-water emulsions separation

Oily wastewater discharged from households and industries, especially stable oil-in-water emulsions, causes serious pollution to the human habitat. Thus, it is urgent to find an environmentally friendly, efficient, and low-cost method for separating stable oil-in-water emulsions. In this paper, a superhydrophilic wood-based composite membrane (wood/MIL-100(Fe) membrane) for separating oil-water emulsion was reported. The wood/MIL-100(Fe) membrane was made by in-situ growing MIL-100(Fe) on wood, which enhances the hydrophilic properties and roughness. The vertical micro-nano structure and superhydrophilicity of wood/MIL-100(Fe) membrane determines separation flux and efficiency. Consequently, the wood/MIL-100(Fe) membrane displays high separation flux (more than 1061 L·m-2·h-1) and efficiency (more than 99.9%). In addition, the wood/MIL-100(Fe) membrane has good mechanical stability, chemical stability, and anti-fouling properties. The wood/MIL-100(Fe) membrane is expected to replace other filter membranes in water treatment and environmental restoration.