Fluorine‑free superhydrophobic nonwoven membranes target oil–water separation

SHANGHAI - A new study, published in Scientific Reports by a team of Chinese researchers, describes a fluorine‑free method for fabricating durable superhydrophobic nonwoven membranes aimed at separating oil–water mixtures and emulsions.

The work responds to regulatory and environmental pressure to move away from per‑ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in surface treatments while maintaining high separation efficiency and mechanical robustness in filtration media.