A review on recent developments in electrospun polymeric nanofibers for oil–water separation

Abstract

Oil–water separation is an important process used to reduce pollution and recover valuable resources in many industrial applications. Electropun nanofibers with varying chemical composition and dimensions are commonly used to remove pollutants from water. Various nanoadditives, such as clays, metal nanoparticles, and C-based nanoparticles, can also be introduced into the polymeric nanofiber matrix to improve the removal capacity and flux of the prepared membranes. Various studies in the literature have investigated the use of these polymeric nanofibers in the separation of oil–water mixtures and oil–water emissions, and very good separation efficiencies have been supported by experimental studies. This review briefly summarises the recent developments on polymeric nanofibres used in oil–water separation. The reviewed studies showed that wettability, fiber diameter, chemical structure, and composition of the nanofibers are important parameters for the removal of contaminants, and polymeric nanofibers produced by tailoring their chemical composition and dimensions are promising candidates for many oil–water separation applications.