Porous membrane with highly stable liquid-filled surface based on aerogel structure for oil-water separation

Liquid-filled porous membranes have been developed for oil-water separation with antifouling properties. However, the degradation of fouling resistance and reduction of separation efficiency may occur due to the poor stability of the liquid layer. Prompted by the mesoporous structure and high porosity characteristics of aerogel, the membrane with aerogel-network-stabilized slippery surfaces was fabricated by in situ growth of silica aerogel coating on the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fiber membrane and silicone oil filling. Owing to the oil-locking ability of the aerogel coating, the liquid layer of the membrane showed excellent stability against chemical corrosion and high-temperature, improved stability against shear and mechanical abrasion, and good hot water tolerance and self-healing performance. The prepared liquid-filled membrane can efficiently separate water-in-oil emulsion. In filtrating-cleaning cycles, the membrane showed antifouling property and durability with high separation efficiency and flux recovery. The membranes with highly stable liquid-filled surface provide promising prospects in industrial oil treatment and oil spill recovery.