Utilizing the Potential of Polyvinylidene Fluoride in Developing Durable Superhydrophobic and Antibacterial Nanocomposite Coatings for Oil/Water Separation

The increasing demand for durable and multifunctional separation materials necessitates polymer-based coatings that combine mechanical robustness with high selectivity. This study aims to develop antibacterial oil/water separation systems that effectively address challenges posed by microorganisms, which can decrease filter effectiveness and impact overall separation efficiency. Metal meshes were coated with titanium dioxide (TiO₂), octadecanethiol (ODT), and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) via spray coating using four formulations: TiO₂, PVDF, TiO₂/ODT, and TiO₂/ODT/PVDF. PVDF-containing coatings exhibited superior superhydrophobicity, with a water contact angle of 161° and a sliding angle of 3°, attributed to the dense nano-roughened texture formed upon drying. The ODT contributed to uniform surface coverage, while PVDF imparted excellent adhesion and mechanical durability, maintaining self-cleaning performance after 50 abrasion cycles. The TiO₂/ODT/PVDF formulation demonstrated the highest oil/water separation efficiency and improved oil flux, highlighting the critical contribution of the polymer–nanoparticle interface. Moreover, the nanocomposite coating exhibited pronounced antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (98.7%) and Escherichia coli (99.2%). These findings underline the potential of polymer-based nanocomposite coatings as scalable and multifunctional materials for advanced oil/water separation technologies.