DLP 3D-printed Porous Membrane with Hydrophobic SiO2 Coating for Oil–Water Separation
摘要
To address the cumbersome processing and non-uniform pore distribution of conventional oil–water separation membranes, this study proposes a concise and efficient fabrication strategy: A porous base membrane with micro-/nanoscale roughness is first constructed via digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing, followed by dip coating with FDTS-modified SiO2 nanoparticles to obtain a superhydrophobic/oleophilic separation membrane. Characterization reveals a uniform fluorinated low-surface-energy layer and irregular micro-/nano protrusions on the surface; the static water contact angle reaches 154°, consistent with a Cassie–Baxter wetting state. The low surface energy confers excellent antifouling and self-cleaning properties at the interface. Performance evaluations show that the membrane maintains stable chemical resistance and superhydrophobicity over pH = 4–12; gravity-driven separations of various oils (e.g., n-hexane, dichloromethane) achieve efficiencies > 98%, and remain ≥ 99.4% after 20 reuse cycles. This work offers a simple and effective route for applying DLP 3D printing to oil–water separation and demonstrates promising practical potential for treating oily wastewater.