The
environmental challenges caused by hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)]
cannot be ignored. Here, a novel oxidized PASS (OPASS)/UiO-66-NH2 nanofibrous membrane (OPASS/U NM) was successfully fabricated
by electrospinning and an in situ growth process and applied for the
removal of Cr(VI). It is found that the OPASS/U NM exhibits high adsorption
performance due to its large surface area. Meanwhile, UiO-66-NH2 particles are seamlessly and uniformly embedded on the surface
of the OPASS fiber, which would endow the OPASS/U NM with photocatalysis
reduction performance. Thus, under visible light, the OPASS/U NM could
rapidly absorb Cr(VI) and reduce it to Cr(III), and the maximum removal
capacity at pH 3.0 reached 20.10 mg/g. Furthermore, a possible photocatalytic
reaction mechanism for removal of Cr(VI) is proposed. The OPASS/U
NM also exhibits good stability, outstanding solvent resistance, and
excellent recyclability. It retains a 92% reduction efficiency even
after three cycles and shows a high recovery rate (>95%). More
importantly,
it can endure a series of strong polar solvents such as dimethylacetamide, N-methylpyrrolidone, and N,N-dimethylformamide. This research not only offers a strategy for
enhancing the removal of Cr(VI) but also introduces a composite membrane
suitable for wastewater containing aggressive solvents.