Converting polymer trash into treasure: An approach to prepare MoS₂ nanosheets decorated PVDF sponge for oil/water separation and antibacterial applications

Polymer waste is an “Achilles heel” in the product life cycle and can cause environmental pollution. Different methods can be used to reprocess such waste, including incineration and recycling, which can reduce trash accumulation in the environment. However, less attention is given to managing scrap generated during polymer processing. Herein, a monolithic poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) sponge was developed from the etchant solution of a poly(ethylene-co-methyl acrylate)/poly(vinylidene fluoride) (EMA/PVDF) blend prepared by reverse immersion precipitation (IP). The etchant solution was waste-generated during the preparation of the polymer membrane by “selective etching”. The spongy surface was modified using the molybdenum disulfide nanosheets/vinyltrimethoxysilane (MoS₂/VTMS)-derived coating, and its oil/water separation and antibacterial properties were analyzed. The modified sponge showed excellent antibacterial activity against pathogenic Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria, and its the zone of inhibition was measured (27 ± 2 mm). The separation (>90%) and recovery (88%) efficiency of the dioctyl phthalate (DOP) oil were studied, and the modified sponge exhibited consistent oil/water separation up to six repeated cycles. Hence, this newly developed sponge nanocomposite would be a sustainable and model candidate for the effective utilization of waste generated during polymer processing.