ZnAl-LDH/wood-based antifouling membranes for high-flux and efficient oil/water separation

An efficient and antifouling cutting-edge membrane was fabricated via growing hierarchical ZnAl-layered double hydroxides (LDHs) nanosheets on the wood template for enhanced separation of immiscible oil/water mixtures and emulsions. The retained vertical channels within the wood substrate facilitated impressive liquid flux, while the LDHs layer coated on the wood surface establishes a robust hydration layer that effectively repels oil droplets. The synergistic effect of these two elements enables efficient separation of immiscible oil/water mixtures and emulsions. The ZnAl-LDHs/wood membrane demonstrates a remarkable reduction in oil adhesion, achieving exceptional antifouling performance. This innovative membrane was adept at efficiently separating oil/water mixtures, exhibiting an impressive flux of 1.87 × 106 L·m−2·h−1 with a separation efficiency of 99 %. Furthermore, it successfully processes surfactant-free emulsions at a rate of 8279 L·m−2·h−1 (99.4 % efficiency) and surfactant-stabilized emulsions at 6850 L·m−2·h−1 (98.8 % efficiency). The current work combines natural wooden channel structures and hydration layers formed by superhydrophilic LDHs nanosheets, providing new novel insights and support for the development of highly efficient membranes with antifouling properties for oil/water separation. © 2025 Elsevier B.V.