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A Low-Cost Biomimetic Heterostructured Multilayer Membrane with Geopolymer Microparticles for Broad-Spectrum Water Purification
journal contribution
posted on 2020-02-25, 17:47 authored by Ying Song, Zhili Li, Jiubing Zhang, Ying Tang, Yuanyuan Ge, Xuemin CuiMembranes have received wide interest
in water purification. However,
the development of a low-cost and eco-friendly membrane with the desired
structure for broad-spectrum water purification still remains a great
challenge. Inspired by the hierarchical structure and functions of
wood, a heterostructured multilayer membrane fabricated through a
facile and “green” layer-by-layer self-assembly method
was reported in this study. Specifically, the hydrophilic geopolymer
microparticles were doped into sodium alginate matrix to construct
“xylem” layers with numerous microchannels, and chitosan
was used to build “phloem” layers with dense structures.
The resultant biomimetic multilayer membrane displayed a distinct
heterostructure and provided the desired rejection to different kinds
of pollutants including nanoparticles, soluble dyes, and heavy metal
ions, as well as emulsified oil droplets. Furthermore, the biomimetic
membrane exhibited a superior stability in a long-term operation and
an excellent recyclability for multiple usages for oil droplets removal.
The proposed biomimetic membrane prepared in a completely “green”
way possesses great potential in practical application for water purification
and separation.