A wood-electric-eel inspired biomimetic membrane with self-monitoring capability for efficient oily wastewater...

Oily wastewater poses serious environmental risks, making the design of superhydrophilic and underwater superoleophobic surfaces vital for efficient and sustainable oil-water separation. However, conventional membranes fail to monitor fouling in real time, preventing timely detection of saturation or functional failure. Consequently, delayed maintenance under severe fouling deteriorates filtrate quality, causes secondary contamination, and undermines system stability. To address these issues, a wood-electric-eel coupled biomimetic membrane was developed using a melamine sponge framework to construct filtration channels, achieving a high oil-water separation efficiency of 99.79 %. During operation, the hydrogel layer generates electrical signals correlated with separation performance, enabling real-time fouling monitoring. When separation declines, the membrane can serve as an emergency oil adsorbent with a capacity up to 3.7 times its weight, attributed to its inherent sensing ability and excellent photothermal effect. This work demonstrates a multifunctional membrane with integrated self-monitoring and reuse potential after fouling saturation, providing a theoretical basis for intelligent membrane design and offering practical guidance for sustainable oily wastewater treatment.