Stacked Meshes with Super-Wettability via Atmospheric Plasma for Efficient Emulsion Separation

Common filter membranes for emulsion separation often require time-intensive preparation and extensive use of chemicals, necessitating a fast-processing and eco-friendly alternative. This study introduces a 2-layer stacked nylon mesh treated with surface diffuse atmospheric plasma (SDAP) for rapid and efficient emulsion separation. Commercial nylon mesh exhibited durable super-wetting properties after just 30 s of SDAP treatment, which was sufficient for effective emulsion separation. Multi-layer stacking further enhanced the oil-blocking capacity, with pre-wetted 2-layer meshes achieving over 98% separation efficiency, a flux exceeding 56 000 L m