One-Step Versatile Fabrication of Superhydrophilic Filters for the Efficient Purification of Oily Water

As industrial oily wastewater can seriously damage ecosystems, the use of filtration technology with functional filters has emerged as an effective approach for purifying oily wastewater and protecting the environment. Although several methods for preparing functional filters with specific wettability have been reported, most methods are complicated, expensive, and time-consuming. Furthermore, these methods are only applicable to specific substrates, which hinder their practical applications. Here, a simple and versatile method for the fabrication of a super-hydrophilic filter on any substrate using a one-step dipping process is reported. The method is easily scaled-up to fabricate large-area super-hydrophilic filters; moreover, mass production is possible using a roll-to-roll process. The resulting filter is durable, stable, and, due to its stable hydrophilic layer, shows no deterioration in wetting behavior; it also exhibits self-cleaning properties. Based on its selective wetting characteristics, oil/water mixtures and oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by surfactants can be purified in a highly efficient manner. Importantly, owing to its self-cleaning properties, the filter can be reused after simply immersing and washing in water. This easy, cost-effective, fast, and versatile method for fabricating superhydrophilic filters can be practically applied in industries that need to purify oily water.