Superhydrophilic Photothermal-Responsive CuO@MXene Nanofibrous Membrane with Inherent Biofouling Resistance for Treating Complex Oily Wastewater

Abstract

MXene, a recently emerged 2D material, has garnered substantial attention for a myriad of applications. Despite the growing interest, there remains a noticeable gap in exploring MXene-based membranes for the simultaneous achievement of photomodulated oil/water separation, bacterial resistance, and the removal of pollutants in the treatment of oily wastewater. In this work, we have successfully synthesized a novel multifunctional CuO@MXene-PAN nanofibrous membrane (NFM) featuring unique nanograin-like structures. Benefitting from these unique structures, the resultant membrane shows excellent superwetting properties, significantly enhancing its performance in oil/water separation. In addition, the membrane's photothermal property boosts its permeance by 40% under visible light illumination within 30 min. Furthermore, the resultant membrane shows decent dye removal efficiency in an aqueous solution, e.g., Rhodamine B (RhB), promoting efficient degradation with high reusability under visible light. Most remarkably, the resultant membrane exhibits superior antibiofouling capability and consistently resists the adhesion of microorganisms such as cyanobacteria over a 14 day period. Thus, the combined effect of superior superwetting properties, photothermal responsivity, photocatalytic activity, and the antibacterial effect in CuO@MXene-PAN NFM contributes to the efficient treatment of intricate oily wastewater. This synergistic combination of superior properties in the membrane could be an appealing strategy for the broad development of multifunctional materials to prevent fouling during actual separation performance.

Buoyancy-Assisted Fabrication of Liquid Diode: Janus Nanofibrous Membrane for Efficient Wastewater Treatment

“…Over the past few decades, there have been frequent occurrences of oil spills during oil exploration, refining, and transportation. , Additionally, industries such as petroleum, chemicals, metal processing, machinery manufacturing, and food processing, as well as daily activities, contribute to the generation of vast volumes of oily wastewater. − This wastewater poses a significant environmental threat, with numerous kinds of adverse impacts on air, soil, vegetation, and surface and underground water. , It includes variety of toxins, including carcinogenic compounds, ecotoxicants, and other hazardous materials, posing risks to aquatic ecosystems, human health, and economic well-being, especially when discharged into water bodies. ,,, For instance, oil slicks on the sea’s surface create a barrier that inhibits water reoxygenation, negatively affecting marine plankton growth and disrupting the ocean’s ecological balance. , Hence, there is an urgent need to develop an effective and environmentally friendly method for treating this complex wastewater.…”