Electrospun Nylon 6 Nanofibers for Oil/Water Separation

Abstract

Oil-water separation is a difficult process, and many reported materials have the drawbacks of low oil absorption which limit their application. Herein, we reported nylon 6 nanofibers prepared by the electrospinning process using formic acid. The nanofibers' surface morphology, crystallinity, hydrophobicity, and sorption capacity were studied. Morphological analysis of 30 wt % nylon 6 /formic acid demonstrated uniform nanofibers that are free from beads with an average diameter varying from 30 to 90 nm. The results revealed that the contact angle of nylon 6 nanofibers is observed as 61º which refers to the nanofibers being slightly hydrophilic. The optimal preparation process was determined by 30 wt % nylon 6 /formic acid concentration, a flow rate of 0.5 ml/hr, an applied voltage of 15 kV, an immersion time of 30 min and the oil absorption capacity was 85.38 g/g. The sorption capacity of nylon 6 nanofibers is higher than some other reported adsorbents making it a promising material for water purification.