(403c) Functionalized-Mxene Thin Film Nanocomposite Membranes for Removal of Polyfluoroakyl Substances from Water

Due to the adverse health and environmental effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), PFAS removal is a critical issue worldwide. We have fabricated a thin-film nanocomposite (TFN) hollow fiber membrane (HFM) and functionalized it with MXene (Ti₃AlC₂) nanosheets for enhanced PFAS removal from water. A polysulfone (PSF) hollow fiber membrane was fabricated through the phase inversion process, and a polyamide active layer was synthesized on the outer surface of the support layer through interfacial polymerization. Mxene nanosheets were added to the active layer during the active layer fabrication process. The addition of Mxene nanosheets enhanced the negative surface charge of the TFC membrane without sacrificing the active layer rejection ability. The physicochemical properties of the thin-film composite (TFC) membranes and the MXene-TFN membranes were characterized, and the effect of MXene nanosheets on the active layer morphology and structure were explored. The performance (permeability, rejection, and antifouling) of the bare TFC and Mxene-TFN membranes were examined at different operational conditions, and the effect of Mxene-nanosheet on permeability, salt rejection, PFAS removal, and antifouling ability of the HFM-TFN membranes was investigated. The addition of MXene nanosheets improved the permeability of TFC membranes from 4 (LMH/bar) to 20 (LMH/bar) for MXene-TFN membranes with negligible effect on PFAS removal.