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Enhanced demulsification from aqueous media by using magnetic chitosan-based flocculant
Ting Lü1, Shuang Zhang1, Dongming Qi2
1Institute of Environmental Materials and Applications, College of Materials and Environmental Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China.
Journal of Colloid and Interface Science
|February 16, 2018
Summary
Quaternized chitosan-grafted magnetic nanoparticles efficiently demulsify oil-water mixtures. These eco-friendly magnetic flocculants show high separation capacity and can be recycled multiple times for sustainable applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Environmental Science
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Demulsification of oil-water mixtures is crucial for environmental remediation and resource recovery.
- Conventional demulsification methods often involve harsh chemicals or energy-intensive processes.
- Development of efficient, eco-friendly, and recyclable demulsifiers is highly desirable.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize quaternized chitosan (QC)-grafted magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) for effective demulsification.
- To evaluate the demulsification performance of the synthesized magnetic flocculants under various conditions.
- To explore the recyclability and underlying mechanism of the developed demulsifier.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of Fe3O4 MNPs via coprecipitation, followed by silica and aminopropyl coating.
- Grafting of quaternized chitosan (QC) onto the functionalized MNPs.
- Characterization using various analytical techniques.
- Demulsification performance evaluation based on dosage, QC grafting ratio (Gq), pH, and magnetic field.
- Recycling experiments to assess reusability.
Main Results:
- Successfully synthesized QC-grafted MNPs with tunable QC grafting ratios.
- Achieved high demulsification efficiency, with a separation capacity exceeding 105 mg of diesel oil/mg of magnetic flocculant.
- Demonstrated excellent recyclability, with the magnetic flocculant reusable for at least 7 cycles.
- Identified electrostatic patching between positively charged QC and negatively charged oil droplets as the primary demulsification mechanism.
- Showcased the synergistic effect of magnetic fields in accelerating separation and removing dispersed oil droplets.
Conclusions:
- QC-grafted MNPs offer a novel and highly efficient approach for demulsification.
- The magnetic nature facilitates easy separation and recovery of the flocculant.
- This technology presents a promising, environmentally friendly solution for practical oil-water separation applications.
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