Mesoporous silica-poly(vinyl alcohol)/polyaniline nanocomposite coatings on polysulfone membranes for efficient oil-water emulsion separation

Polysulfone (PSf) membranes were modified with polyvinyl alcohol/polyaniline (PVA/PANI) coatings integrated with mesoporous silica (MS) nanomaterials (1 and 2 wt%) to achieve highly efficient oil-water emulsion separation. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) revealed distinct differences in surface topography between neat PVA/PANI (P-P) and P-P/MS-modified membranes, with the 2 wt% P-P/MS membrane exhibiting higher surface roughness and improved wettability. This membrane also demonstrated hydrophobicity, with a contact angle value of 92.30° ± 2.1, enabling superior separation performance. In oil-water emulsion tests, the Total Organic Carbon (TOC) content in permeate decreased from 315.60 mg L−1 to 14.62 mg L−1, while the second filtration cycle achieved 96.13 % oil removal. These findings confirm that MS incorporation significantly enhances the structural, morphological, and functional properties of PVA/PANI coatings, providing a robust strategy for fabricating high-performance membranes. The developed membranes show strong potential for advanced water treatment applications, particularly in removing organic contaminants from oily wastewater.