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Updated: Jul 7, 2026

Double Emulsion Generation Using a Polydimethylsiloxane PDMS Co-axial Flow Focus Device
Published on: December 25, 2015
Boosting Demulsification and Antifouling Capacity of Membranes via an Enhanced Piezoelectric Effect for Sustaining
Yuanyang Yan1,2, Peizhang Zhou1, Yahong Zhou3
1School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Green Chemical Product Technology, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, P. R. China.
Abstract:
Traditional superwettable membranes for demulsification of oil/water emulsions could not maintain their separation performance for long because of low demulsification capacity and surface fouling during practical applications. A charging membrane could repel the contaminants for a while, the charge of which would gradually be neutralized during the separation progress. Here, a superhydrophilic piezoelectric membrane (SPM) with sustained demulsification and antifouling capacity is proposed for achieving prolonged emulsion separation, which is capable of converting inherent pulse hydraulic filtration pressure into pulse voltage. A pulse voltage up to -7.6 V is generated to intercept the oil by expediting the deformation and coalescence of emulsified oil droplets, realizing the demulsification. Furthermore, it repels negatively charged oil droplets, avoiding membrane fouling. Additionally, any organic foulants adhering to the membrane undergo degradation facilitated by the generated reactive oxygen species. The separation data demonstrate a 98.85% efficiency with a flux decline ratio below 14% during a 2 h separation duration and a nearly 100% flux recovery of SPM. This research opens new avenues in membrane separation, environmental remediation, etc.
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