Oil/Water Separation Copper Membranes Modified by Laser Induced ZnO Nanowires Growth with Enhanced Catalytic Function

Oil/water separation is a significant area of scientific study, and also has significant practical applications in the treatment of industrial oily wastewater and oil spill pollution. In this study, the high-flux copper mesh is fabricated by laser in a Zn2+ precursor solution at room temperature. The copper mesh processed inside the solution has a higher flux than that processed in the air. The heat absorbed by the liquid promotes the growth of ZnO nanowires on the copper mesh surface. The copper mesh's underwater oil contact angle (OCA) is as high as 150 °. Compared with conventional copper mesh, it has a higher stability and can maintain a contact angle of 150° in acid-base environments and high-temperature environments. It has hydrophilic and oleophobic properties and can be used for oil/water separation. After 50 oil/water separation cycles, the separation efficiency can keep higher than 97%. This new method exhibits excellent potentials for oil/water separation and oil purification attributed to its simple and ecologically friendly processing.