Synthesis of Superhydrophobic Cellulose Stearoyl Ester for Oil/Water Separation

Developing fluorine-free superhydrophobic and biodegradable materials for oil/water separation has already become an irresistible trend. In this paper, we designed two biopolymer oil/water separation routes based on cellulose stearoyl ester (CSE), which was obtained via the acylation reaction between dissolving pulp and stearoyl chloride homogeneously. The CSE showed a superhydrophobic property, which could selectively adsorb oil from the oil/water mixture. Additionally, the CSE was emulsified with an oxidized starch (OS) solution, and the resulting latex was used to impregnate commercial, filter base paper, finally obtaining a hydrophobic and oleophilic membrane. The SEM revealed the membrane had hierarchical micro/nanostructures, while the water contact angle indicated the low surface energy of the membrane, all of which were attributed to the CSE. The membrane had high strength and long durability due to the addition of OS/CSE, and the separation efficiency was more than 99% even after ten repeated uses.