This innovative membrane demonstrates exceptional efficiency in separating oil from water, indicating a solution for industrial wastewater treatment.
Fine surfactant‐stabilized emulsion separation from industrial produced water remains a critical challenge, as conventional membranes suffer from severe fouling, poor dual‐phase adaptability, and limited stability. Herein, a high‐performance oil–water separation membrane was fabricated via RAFT polymerization and dopamine post‐functionalization, constructing a catechol‐functionalized supramolecular network stabilized by hydrogen bonding and π‐π stacking. This work features three core innovations: a well‐defined catechol‐functionalized PDMA‐ g ‐PEG‐co‐PDA terpolymer, liquid‐triggered adaptive wettability without external stimuli, and a robust supramolecular network for enhanced mechanical and antifouling properties. The membrane exhibits exceptional hydration capability, realizing molecular discrimination of oil–water mixtures via distinct diffusion kinetics. It achieves > 99% separation efficiency for all tested oil‐in‐water/water‐in‐oil emulsions at a high flux of ~850 L·m −2 ·h −1 and maintains > 99% efficiency after 15+ recyclable cycles. This intelligent amphipathic membrane addresses key limitations of traditional separation materials, offering a sustainable high‐throughput solution for industrial oily wastewater treatment and environmental remediation, advancing the design of adaptive separation materials.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Cheng et al. (2026) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: