Catalytic membranes assembled by Co–Fe Prussian blue analogues functionalized graphene oxide nanosheets for rapid removal of contaminants

The catalytic membrane, combining confinement effect with advanced oxidation processes , exhibits great potential as an efficient technology for removing contaminants and mitigating membrane fouling . Herein, the Prussian blue analogues (PBAs) functionalized graphene oxide (GO) membranes, referred as PGMs, was successfully fabricated. It exhibited a package-like confined structure where Co–Fe PBAs were encapsulated within interconnected GO nanosheets . The surface properties, internal structure as well as the catalytic performance of PGMs were controlled by adjusting the amount of Co–Fe PBAs anchored on GO nanosheets . The designed PGM as efficient peroxymonosulfate activator exhibited exceptional catalytic performance, achieving complete removal of bisphenol A (BPA) with a retention time of 31 ms. The corresponding first-order rate constant was 6000 min −1 , which surpassed conventional batch system by four orders of magnitude (0.2194 min −1 ). Moreover, the redox cycle involving Fe 2+ and Co 3+ , coupled with the effective suppression of ion leaching from Co–Fe PBAs nanoparticles (<10 μg/L) through GO protective layers, ensured the stable catalytic performance of PGM over 144 h. This study employs a novel approach to confine catalytic nanoparticles within two-dimensional nanosheets, demonstrating the potential applications of the resulting confined membrane in water treatment.