Solution‐blow spun PLA/SiO2 nanofiber membranes toward high efficiency oil/water separation

Abstract With the ever frequent of industrial organic solvent emissions and oil spillages, the development of high efficiency oil/water separation materials has attracted extensive attention. Here, PLA‐based nanofiber membranes modified with metal oxides (SiO2, TiO2, Al2O3, and CeO2) are fabricated through blow spinning the mixed solution of polylactic acid (PLA) and metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs). Results shows that the addition of SiO2 NPs significantly increases the hydrophobicity of the membranes, while maintaining the excellent superoleophilicity. The PLA/SiO2 nanofiber membranes demonstrate a higher separation performance than pure PLA, PLA/TiO2, PLA/Al2O3, and PLA/CeO2 nanofiber membranes with high separation efficiency (~100%) and permeation flux (17,800 L m−2 h−1 for n‐heptane), as well as prominent oil adsorption capacity (19.9 g/g for n‐hexane). The successful fabrication of metal oxides modified PLA nanofiber membranes with high separation and adsorption ability, and excellent durability hold great application potential in the field of oily wastewater treatment.