Robustly superhydrophobic polylactic acid nonwoven membranes for efficient oil/water separation

Oily wastewater is an urgent issue that threatens the ecosystem and human health. Superhydrophobic porous materials are widely concerned as promising candidates for effective oil/water separation and oil adsorption. However, superhydrophobic porous materials are still confronted with frustrations such as complex preparation processes and secondary pollution to the environment. Superhydrophobic porous materials with biodegradability and a relatively simple preparation process are more attractive to practical application and environmental protection. In this work, biodegradable and industrially applied polylactic acid (PLA) nonwoven materials were used as porous membranes, then PLA nanoparticles were loaded on the membrane surface to construct the hierarchical rough structure. The modified PLA nonwoven membrane (nano-PLA) shows superhydrophobicity and efficient oil/water separation performance. Moreover, strong mechanical strength and acceptable toughness are obtained. This work offers an easily controlled and industrially used pathway for the design of robust, highly selective, and biodegradable oil/water separation materials.