Multilayer Biobased Poly(ethylene furanoate)/Graphene Oxide Nanofibrous Membranes With Directional Water Transport for Efficient Microplastics Filtration

ABSTRACT

Filtration using biobased electrospun nanofibrous membranes (ENMs) is gaining prominence as a powerful strategy for mitigating microplastics (MPs) pollution. This study presents a bio‐based electrospun nanofibrous composite membrane (ENCM) composed of emerging poly(ethylene furanoate) (PEF) and graphene oxide (GO) (PEF/GO), which spontaneously forms a self‐assembled multilayer structure during electrospinning, eliminating the need for complex layer‐by‐layer fabrication. Optimized ethanol treated PEF/GO ENCM (s‐PEF/GO) produces ultrafine fibers (189.3 ± 8.9 nm), shows dynamic superhydrophilicity (contact angle decaying from 44° to 0° within 3 s), alongside plant‐inspired directional water transport. The s‐PEF/GO ENCM exhibits enhanced tensile strength (17.14 ± 0.4 MPa), antifouling properties, and superior water flux of up to 50.6 × 10 ⁴ ± 3371 L m ⁻² h ⁻¹ , which is 1.6 times greater than that of the ethanol‐treated PEF (s‐PEF) membrane. The concentration‐dependent increase in hydraulic resistance during polylactic acid (PLA) MPs filtration provides clear evidence of PLA MPs cake‐layer formation on the ENCM. The membrane achieves 99.9% removal of PLA MPs through a synergistic membrane interception and electrostatic repulsion mechanism, while sustaining a 99.5% flux recovery ratio (FRR) across multiple cycles. These results establish a self‐assembled multilayer structured and robust membrane with high water flux and MPs separation efficiency for next‐generation sustainable water purification.