Self-Cleaning Degradable Cellulose Acetate-Based Nanofiber Membrane for Highly Efficient Oil/Water Separation

Membrane separation technology has garnered significant attention in the oil/water separation field due to its energy-efficient operation and superior separation performance. Nevertheless, the persistent membrane fouling during operation and the widespread use of chemically stable and nondegradable polymer substrates are two critical challenges for membrane separation technology. Therefore, developing an environmentally friendly oil/water separation membrane with self-cleaning properties and degradable characteristics has become a hot spot in current research. In this study, d-CA/PVP/ZnO nanofiber membranes with self-cleaning properties are successfully prepared by introducing photocatalytic ZnO nanoparticles into biodegradable cellulose acetate (CA) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) matrices using electrostatic spinning technology. The composite membrane exhibits excellent separation performance in treating surfactant-stabilized O/W emulsion with the flux of 16,711 L·m–2·h–1·bar–1 while maintaining a high separation efficiency of 99%. More importantly, the membrane material has excellent photocatalytic properties, and the flux can be restored to 95% of the initial value by UV light irradiation. By combining high separation efficiency, self-cleaning ability, and degradable properties, this membrane material provides a solution for the green and sustainable treatment of oily wastewater.