High flux durability underwater superoleophobic mesh modified by poly (maleic acid mono-(2-(dimethylamino)-ethyl ester-co-hydroxyethyl acrylate) and nanosilica particles hybrid

Abstract It is difficult to separate oil-polluted water mixtures, which has been considered a global problem. In this study, a simple dip-coating process was used to produce a stainless-steel mesh coated with poly (malaic acid mono-(2-(dimethylamino)-ethyl ester-co-hydroxyethyl acrylate)-tetraethyl orthosilicate-silica (P(MDME-co-HEA)-TEOS-SiO 2 ). The membrane’s shape, chemical composition, separation capabilities, and mechanical properties were carefully examined. The membrane was extremely hydrophilic and extremely oil-phobic underwater due to its rough surface structure and hydrophilic chemical composition. For petroleum ether/water mixture, the separation flux of the membrane reached 224,600 l·m −2 ·h −1 , with a 99.96% separation efficiency. The coated mesh also presented outstanding anti-oil fouling performance. Moreover, it exhibited excellent mechanical resistance and chemical stability.