Fabrication of catalytic ceramic nanofiber membrane with high permeability and superior catalytic performance

A novel ceramic nanofiber membrane (CNM), without an intermediate layer, was successfully developed onto the surface of a mullite fiber-based porous ceramic support using a sacrificial layer-assisted multiple dip-coating method. The CNM based on attapulgite exhibited a remarkable permeability of 1602.6 L/(m2·h·bar), over 24 times higher than the ceramic nanofiber membrane with a support made from alumina granular particles. Moreover, a catalytic ceramic nanofiber membrane (Mn@CNM) was fabricated via an impregnation method. The Mn@CNM coupled catalytic ozonation process achieved a removal efficiency of up to 90.3 % for degrading sulfamethoxazole (SMX). Furthermore, quenching experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis were conducted to evaluate the production of different reactive oxygen species (ROS) during the catalytic ozonation of SMX. The superior performance of Mn@CNM was ascribed to the high porosity and specific surface area of the CNM support, as well as the presence of a separation layer composed of interwoven APT nanofibers. These components created nano-sized pore structures, that enhanced the nano-confinement effect and improved the interaction between ROS and SMX molecules. In addition, the excellent redox cycles of Mn (III)/Mn (IV) facilitated the generation of ROS and degradation of SMX in catalytic ozonation systems. This study presents a novel method for creating CNM with excellent permeability and Mn@CNM with superior catalytic performance, enabling efficient removal of emerging contaminants from water.