Construction of 2D/0D Graphene Oxide/Copper(I) Oxide-Incorporated Titanium Dioxide Mixed-Dimensional Membranes with Ultrafast Water Transport and Enhanced Antifouling Properties

Abstract

Graphene oxide (GO) membranes are emerging for water treatment. Meanwhile, challenges remain due to membrane fouling and their instability in aqueous solutions. Herein, a novel GO-based mixed-dimensional membrane with superior antifouling and nonswelling properties was prepared by assembling twodimensional (2D) GO nanosheets and zero-dimensional (0D) copper(I) oxide-incorporated titanium dioxide photocatalyst (CT). The decoration of CT in GO nanosheets tuned the microstructure and surface hydrophilicity while creating more transport channels in CT/GO membranes. This resulted in a high water permeance of 171.5 L m −2 h −1 bar −1 and improved selectivity to various dye molecules (96.2−98.6%). Due to the significantly enhanced antibacterial properties of the CT nanoparticles, the growth of bacteria on the surface of the CT/GO membrane was suppressed (threefold less than that on the GO membrane). Moreover, the embedding of photocatalysts also allowed CT/GO membranes to exhibit ∼9-fold improvement in antibacterial activity and organic dye degradation performance under visible-light irradiation. This study offers a powerful solution to enhance the nanofiltration performance and antibacterial properties of GO membranes toward practical applications.

A Review of Synthesis Methods, Modifications, and Mechanisms of ZnO/TiO2-Based Photocatalysts for Photodegradation of Contaminants

“…Metal oxides from groups II–VI are considered as n-type semiconductors, which are active in UV range of light irradiation, and one main reason for their restricted usability as photocatalysts is fast recombination of photoexcited species. Doping with other metal oxides with lower band gaps and or introducing metal oxides as photoexcited trapping agents improves the base semiconductor quantum efficiency. − A literature survey shows that some transition metals as d-type and p-type doping groups on the TiO 2 and ZnO surface are Cr 2 O 3 , SnO, MnO 2 , , FeO, CoO, NiO, Cu 2 O, and CuO . Baniamerian et al , disclosed the application of a Fe 2 O 3 /TiO 2 photocatalyst synthesized by ultrasonic co-precipitation method and evaluated MB photodegradation under visible light radiation.…”

“…Doping with other metal oxides with lower band gaps and or introducing metal oxides as photoexcited trapping agents improves the base semiconductor quantum efficiency. 172 − 174 A literature survey shows that some transition metals as d-type and p-type doping groups on the TiO 2 and ZnO surface are Cr 2 O 3 , 175 SnO, 176 MnO 2 , 177 , 178 FeO, 179 CoO, 180 NiO, 181 Cu 2 O, 182 and CuO. 183 Baniamerian et al 184 , 185 disclosed the application of a Fe 2 O 3 /TiO 2 photocatalyst synthesized by ultrasonic co-precipitation method and evaluated MB photodegradation under visible light radiation.…”