The role of oligomeric poly(-caprolactone)-diol and Laponite addition on biodegradability, anti-fouling, mechanical properties, organic dye, and heavy metal ion adsorption of PCL porous membrane

In this context, poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) is a promising choice, but its hydrophobicity limits salt and water contaminant adsorption. To address these issues, PCL was blended with oligomeric PCL-diol (PCL-D) in ratios of 90:10, 80:20, and 70:30, and further 12 wt% Laponite (Lap), an anionic synthetic hectorite clay, was incorporated to the above blends to impart functionality and mechanical stiffness.

The addition of PCL-D improved the porosity, hydrophilicity, and antifouling properties, while Lap enhanced mechanical properties and functionality vis-à-vis the above properties. Notably, the pure water flux (PWF) increased from ~188 Lm⁻²h⁻¹ for neat PCL to 1124 Lm⁻²h⁻¹ for the 70:30 PCL:PCL-D blend with 12 wt% Lap (P7D3-L12), and the water contact angle (WCA) decreased from ~96° to ~49°.