Surface modification and characterization of cellulose-based filters for water-oil separation

The surface of filter paper was modified by an ecofriendly photografting process, carried out by using as modifiers commercial products based on fluorinated monomers with chain length ranging from C8 to C2. The grafting process was optimized mainly focusing on the properties conferred to the modified filter paper, that is hydrophobicity, oleophobicity and water-oil separation efficiency. The aim was to assess the influence of the chain length of the fluorinated monomer on the filter performance, evaluating the possibility to replace the long chain pollutant products with the safer ones.The surface of filter paper was modified by an ecofriendly photografting process, carried out by using as modifiers commercial products based on fluorinated monomers with chain length ranging from C8 to C2. The grafting process was optimized mainly focusing on the properties conferred to the modified filter paper, that is hydrophobicity, oleophobicity and water-oil separation efficiency. The aim was to assess the influence of the chain length of the fluorinated monomer on the filter performance, evaluating the possibility to replace the long chain pollutant products with the safer ones.