Skin-replaceable antifouling cellulose ceramic membranes from jute agro-waste for sustainable and efficient oily wastewater treatment

Abstract Oily wastewater presents a serious environmental challenge, demanding sustainable and regenerative membrane technologies. Here, we report a green and scalable method for fabricating skin-replaceable cellulose membranes (SRC-M) from jute agro-waste, using a NaOH/urea activation route and argon-pressurized deposition onto ceramic supports. The resulting Cellulose II -based asymmetric membranes exhibit high water flux (~470 L m⁻²h⁻¹) and >98% oil rejection across various emulsions. Notably, the membrane’s surface can be fully renewed via ultrasonication, restoring >99% of the original flux after 16 fouling cycles. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations confirm the thermodynamic stability (ΔG = -0.162 eV) and low kinetic barrier (0.46 eV) of urea adsorption on cellulose, supporting the dissolution mechanism and regeneration behavior. This biodegradable, self-renewable membrane system offers a robust, circular solution for long-term oily wastewater remediation and aligns with green chemistry principles.