A synergistically enhanced photocatalytic 2D MXene nanofibrous composite membrane for wastewater treatment

Abstract

Despite notable advancements in membrane technology, the efficacious separation of intricate oily wastewater via membrane filtration continues to pose formidable barriers for the industry. Recent methods, encompassing the integration of two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets to improve membrane properties, have demonstrated a propensity for encountering challenges like swelling, fouling, and operational instability during the filtration process. Herein, we meticulously designed a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) nanofibrous membrane (NFM) tailored with a 2D nanostructured composite of MXene nanosheets and TiO2 nanofrost for the pioneering treatment of intricate oily wastewater. The resultant membrane exhibited remarkable separation performance concerning surfactant-stabilized emulsions while maintaining excellent water permeability. Additionally, the membrane demonstrated outstanding antifouling and self-cleaning capabilities while also showing high efficiency in removing metal cations from oily wastewater, which may be related to the intercalation of TiO2 nanofrost. Furthermore, in response to the synergistic impact of MXene nanosheets and TiO2 nanofrost, the TiO2@MX-PVDF NFM presented exceptional photocatalytic degradation ability for the breakdown of organic pollutants under visible irradiation. Consequently, present work unveils an advanced, reliable and remarkably efficient approach for developing a 2D multifunctional MXene composite membrane designed specifically for treating complex oily wastewater.