Direct-coating of cellulose hydrogel on PVDF membranes with superhydrophilic and antifouling properties for high-efficiency oil/water emulsion separation

As a well-known natural and innocuous plant constituent, cellulose consists of abundant hydroxyl groups and can tightly adsorb onto material surfaces hydrogen bonding, resulting in a superhydrophilic surface. In this work, the hydrophobic polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes were modified by immersing them in cellulose hydrogel using a simple one-step process. The modified PVDF membrane exhibited excellent resistance to fouling and oil adhesion, making it highly effective in separating various oil-in-water emulsions. The cellulose-modified PVDF membranes achieved a high oil rejection rate (>99 %) and a maximum separation flux of 2675.2 L·m−2·h−1. Furthermore, even an oil-in-water emulsion containing bovine serum albumin maintained a steady permeation flux after four filtration cycles. Additionally, these cellulose-modified PVDF membranes demonstrated excellent underwater superoleophobicity across a wide range of pH levels and high saline conditions. Overall, these cellulose-modified superhydrophilic PVDF membranes are sustainable, environmentally friendly, easily scalable, and hold great promise for practical applications in oily wastewater treatment.