Preparation of a novel Janus-cotton via the in-situ dual-phase formation and volatilization-induced fabrication method for oil/water separation with single and double layers

• DOI: 10.1016/j.jece.2021.106444
• Publication Date: 2021-09-28T01:54:18Z
• Authors: Lizhu Liang; Xuelian Li; Hao Hu; Jiayan Zhang; Ye Peng; Changkun Liu; Mengting Yang
• Keywords: 02 engineering and technology; 0210 nano-technology; 01 natural sciences; 0104 chemical sciences

Abstract The asymmetric wettability of Janus membranes has continuously drawn attention in various fields. In this paper, a Janus-cotton was prepared via a novel method using in-situ dual-phase formation and volatilization-induced fabrication. The n-hexane suspension of PDMS and SiO2 was used to coat one surface of the water-wetted cotton fabric to form an in-situ dual-phase (n-hexane/water), where Janus-cotton was then prepared by volatilization and heating. One side of the prepared Janus-cotton was superhydrophobic, with a water contact angle of 151.1 ± 1.8°, while the other side was superhydrophilic with a water contact angle of 0°. This Janus-cotton can realize directional transport of water. Single layer Janus-cotton successfully separates lighter oil-water mixtures with the separation efficiency of 98%, while double layers can separate heavier oil-water mixture with the separation efficiency of 95%. Moreover, it has excellent water collection ability in oil.