Innovative Organic–Inorganic Hybrid Membrane for Oil‐Water Separation via Chemical Bond Reconstruction‐Enhanced Interfacial Polarity Reversal

Abstract Membrane separation technology, characterized by low cost and high efficiency, holds great promise for oil‐water separation. Performance hinges on membrane polarity and pore size. Using electrospinning, PVDF nanofiber membranes with 300 nm pores is prepared. Then, the nanofibers are coated with a hybrid organic‐inorganic polymer via chitosan‐zirconium salt crosslinking. Introducing a novel chemical bond reorganization method, glutaraldehyde broke metal complex bonds, forming high‐energy covalent bonds and exposing positively charged zirconium ions. This unique structure created a durable anti‐oil barrier, enhancing interface polarity and water film formation. At an applied pressure of 0.02 MPa, the membrane achieved a pure water flux of 7828 L m ⁻² h ⁻¹ bar ⁻¹ and an emulsion flux of 4280 L m ⁻² h ⁻¹ bar ⁻¹ . The membrane maintained stable flux performance throughout 100 hydraulic cycles and 30 oil/water emulsion separation cycles. Remarkably, this technology removes hard‐to‐filter light oil emulsions (like kerosene), achieving comprehensive oil‐water separation, underscoring the importance of interfacial polarity and chemical reorganization in membrane development.