Meta-membrane electric nanotrap enables instant and efficient water disinfection

Abstract

Waterborne pathogenic diseases serve as a driving force for the development of effective water disinfection technologies to ensure safe drinking water. However, current water disinfection methods fail to simultaneously achieve instant biocide action, low energy consumption, and high throughput. Here, we design a meta-membrane electric nanotrap, assembled from Ag nanowires self-assembled within a SiO2 nanofibrous framework. By capitalizing on the synergistic effects of trapping and electroporation, this innovative nanotrap configuration enables instant and efficient sterilization. To demonstrate it, we present a disinfection unit equipped with the above membranes that exhibits a swift killing rate (over 6-log antibacterial efficacy within 0.053 s), operating at a high flux (11,200 L m−2 h−1) and an ultra-low driving voltage (1 V). This scalable and highly effective water disinfection technology possesses significant potential for application in daily life and emergency response situations.