Constructing a composite microfiltration carbon membrane by TiO₂ and Fe₂O₃ for efficient separation of oil-water...

Membrane-based separation technology has attracted enormous attention for oil/water emulsion treatment. Here, composite microfiltration carbon membranes (MCMs) were prepared from the precursor of phenolic resin doping with TiO₂ and Fe₂O₃ via the processes of stereotype and pyrolysis. The functional groups, thermal stability, porous structure, microstructure, morphology, and hydrophilicity of the membrane samples were analyzed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, bubble pressure method, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, and water contact angle, respectively. The effect of dopant amount on the separation performance of MCMs was investigated. The results show that a mixed matrix system is constructed by TiO₂ and Fe₂O₃ in MCMs, which is beneficial for further optimizing the pore size, porosity, and hydrophilicity of MCMs for oily wastewater treatment by varying the dopant amount. The maximum oil rejections are achieved at 98.9% and 99.6% for MCMs with a dopant content of TiO₂ and Fe₂O₃ at 25%, respectively. In brief, this study offers an attractive strategy for improving the separation performance of MCMs for oily wastewater.