Multifunctional alginate-based carbon aerogels for oil-water mixture and emulsion separation

Efficient separations of both water-in-oil (W/O) and oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions are still challenging. In this study, a alginate-based carbon aerogel (AB carbon aerogel) as oil-water separation materials were prepared by wet spinning, high-temperature carbonization, and acidification, which were characterized using scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersion spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and oil and water contact angle. AB carbon aerogel revealed multifunctional separations of immiscible oil-water mixtures and emulsifier-stabilized W/O and O/W emulsions. The separation fluxes and separation efficiencies were 131 L m(-2) h(-1) and 99.02% for water-in-CCl4 emulsion, and were 94 L m(-2) h(-1) and 98.97% for n-hexane-in-water emulsion, respectively. The multifunction of AB carbon aerogel is due to the amphiphilicity.