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Enhanced photocatalytic performance of polyvinylidene fluoride membrane by doped CuFe2O4 nanocrystals for water treatment

  • Original Paper: Sol–gel and hybrid materials for catalytic, photoelectrochemical and sensor applications
  • Published:
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Abstract

CuFe2O4 nanocrystals with the size about 60 nm were synthesized under hydrothermal conditions, and doped them into polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes for enhancing their photocatalytic performance. The morphology, phase, and photoelectric performance of CuFe2O4/PVDF membranes were confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS), scanning transmission microscopy (SEM), and transient photoelectrochemical analysis. As a result, the morphologies of CuFe2O4 nanocrystals could change with the concentration of NaOH solution under hydrothermal conditions. CuFe2O4 nanocrystals showed strong facet-dependent photoelectric and photocatalytic properties. PVDF membrane doped with CuFe2O4 nanocubes showed excellent photocatalytic activity of Congo red degradation (95%), and kept the good self-cleaning performance after five circles. The flux and rejection performance displayed the CuFe2O4 nanocubes/PVDF membrane kept high water flux (40 L/m2 h) and Congo red rejection (99%), and the composite membrane have good potential in water treatment applications.

Schematic diagram of the removal of Congo red dye from CuFe2O4/PVDF membrane.

Highlights

  • CuFe2O4 nanocrystals were synthesized under hydrothermal conditions.

  • The CuFe2O4 nanocubes showed the higher photoelectrochemical performance.

  • The CuFe2O4 /PVDF membrane showed the better photocatalytic performance.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful for the financial support by the Natural Science Foundation of Liaoning Province of China (2019-ZD-0076).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Chemical Engineering, Shenyang University of Chemical Technology, Shenyang, 110142, PR China

    Enlei Zhang, Lijie Wang, Bengui Zhang, Yingpeng Xie & Guosheng Wang

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  1. Enlei Zhang
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  2. Lijie Wang
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  3. Bengui Zhang
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  4. Yingpeng Xie
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  5. Guosheng Wang
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Correspondence to Enlei Zhang.

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Zhang, E., Wang, L., Zhang, B. et al. Enhanced photocatalytic performance of polyvinylidene fluoride membrane by doped CuFe2O4 nanocrystals for water treatment. J Sol-Gel Sci Technol 93, 452–461 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-019-05209-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-019-05209-7

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