Graphene oxide-assisted dispersion and assembly of photocatalytic self-cleaning MOF membrane for enhanced water purification

Manufacturing metal-organic framework (MOF) microcrystals into macroscopic membranes is crucial for their practical application but is still hindered by their poor dispersibility and solution processibility. Herein, we employed amphiphilic flexible graphene oxide to solubilize rigid MIL-100(Fe) microcrystals possessing photocatalytic properties and fabricated a compact rigid-flexible structured graphene oxide/MIL-100(Fe) composite membrane. Graphene oxide adopted here not only facilitated the dispersion of MIL-100(Fe) through hydrogen bond interactions but also effectively reduced intercrystalline defects/cracks between MIL-100(Fe) microcrystals. The synthesized graphene oxide/MIL-100(Fe) composite membrane demonstrated fascinating versatility, encompassing ultrahigh water permeability (737.5 L center dot m(- 2)center dot h(-1)center dot bar(- 1)), outstanding molecular separation performance (99.8 % for congo red (CR)), and excellent photocatalytic self-cleaning ability. The permeability of the fouled GO/MIL-100(Fe) membrane could recover to 94.1 % of the original level following 30 min of visible light illumination. In addition, the GO/MIL-100(Fe) membrane exhibited satisfied structural stability, even in harsh environments. This study holds substantial significance for the advancement of MOF membranes and the enhancement of water purification efficacy.