A facile fabrication of chitosan modified PPS-based microfiber membrane for effective antibacterial activity and oil-in-water emulsion separation

Developing a facile and energy-efficient separation membrane for the purification of highly emulsified oily wastewater is significant challenging due to the critical limitation of low flux, serious fouling, and a complex fabrication process. Therefore, we fabricated a superhydrophilic and underwater superoleophobic polyphenylene sulfide microfiber membrane, modified by chitosan, via a simple and facile strategy of dip-coating followed by hot pressing. The prepared membrane displays high superoleophobicity in strong acid, alkali, and salt solutions, with the oil contact angle of 150.08°, 150.46° and 151.89°, respectively. Additionally, the high porosity and diminutive pore size endow the membrane with superior performance for separating both surfactant-free and surface-stabilized oil-in-water emulsion. An ultrahigh permeation flux of up to 2250 L m⁻² h⁻¹ with a separation efficiency of > 99% is obtained driven solely by gravity. The flow rate and separation efficiency are higher than those of conventional separation membranes, demonstrating remarkable applicability for energy efficient separation. With the advantages of excellent antifouling performance and antibacterial activity, the as-prepared membrane exhibits robust reusability for long-term separation, which is promising for practical applications in the purification of oily wastewater.