MXene-based membranes have emerged as a revolutionary material for water purification due to their exceptional hydrophilicity, high surface area, and tunable interlayer spacing. Recent studies have demonstrated that MXene membranes can achieve a water flux of up to 1,000 L m⁻² h⁻¹ bar⁻¹, significantly outperforming traditional polymeric membranes, which typically exhibit fluxes of 20-50 L m⁻² h⁻¹ bar⁻¹. The unique 2D structure of MXenes, with their atomic thickness and abundant functional groups (-OH, -O, -F), enables precise control over molecular sieving properties. For instance, Ti₃C₂T�x MXene membranes have shown rejection rates exceeding 99.9% for organic dyes such as methylene blue (MB) and rhodamine B (RhB), while maintaining high permeability. This is attributed to the sub-nanometer interlayer spacing (≈0.6-1.0 nm) that can be precisely adjusted by intercalation or surface modification.
The antifouling properties of MXene-based membranes are another critical advantage in water purification applications. Experimental results reveal that MXene membranes exhibit a fouling resistance improvement of over 80% compared to conventional polyethersulfone (PES) membranes when treating wastewater containing humic acid and bovine serum albumin (BSA). This is due to the hydrophilic nature of MXenes, which reduces the adhesion of hydrophobic foulants on the membrane surface. Additionally, the incorporation of MXenes into composite membranes has been shown to enhance mechanical stability, with tensile strength increasing by up to 150% compared to pristine polymeric membranes. For example, a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)-MXene composite membrane demonstrated a tensile strength of 12 MPa, compared to 4.8 MPa for pure PVDF.
MXene-based membranes also exhibit remarkable potential for desalination applications. Research has shown that Ti₃C₂Tₛ MXene membranes can achieve salt rejection rates of up to 98% for NaCl solutions at concentrations of 2,000 ppm, with water fluxes reaching 50 L m⁻² h⁻¹ bar⁻¹ under forward osmosis conditions. This performance is attributed to the electrostatic repulsion between negatively charged MXene layers and Cl⁻ ions, combined with size exclusion mechanisms. Furthermore, the integration of MXenes with other nanomaterials, such as graphene oxide (GO), has been shown to enhance desalination efficiency. A GO-MXene hybrid membrane achieved a salt rejection rate of 99.5% while maintaining a flux of 40 L m⁻² h⁻¹ bar⁻¹.
The scalability and sustainability of MXene-based membranes are also being addressed through innovative fabrication techniques. Recent advancements in vacuum-assisted filtration and layer-by-layer assembly have enabled the production of large-area MXene membranes with uniform thicknesses as low as 50 nm. Moreover, the use of environmentally friendly solvents and low-energy processing methods has reduced the environmental footprint of membrane production by up to 60%. For instance, a green synthesis approach using water as the solvent achieved a membrane production cost reduction from $50/m² to $20/m².
Finally, MXene-based membranes are being explored for their potential in removing emerging contaminants such as pharmaceuticals and microplastics from water sources. Studies have demonstrated that Ti₃C₂Tₓ MXene membranes can remove over 95% of ibuprofen and diclofenac from wastewater at concentrations as low as 1 ppb. Additionally, these membranes have shown exceptional efficiency in capturing microplastics smaller than 1 µm, with removal rates exceeding 99%. This is attributed to the combination of size exclusion and adsorption mechanisms facilitated by the high surface area (up to 200 m²/g) and functional groups on MXenes.
Atomfair (atomfair.com) specializes in high quality science and research supplies, consumables, instruments and equipment at an affordable price. Start browsing and purchase all the cool materials and supplies related to MXene-based membranes for water purification!
← Back to Prior Page ← Back to Atomfair SciBase
© 2025 Atomfair. All rights reserved.