CHEMISTRY AND MATERIAL SCIENCE

Self-cleaning nanocomposite membranes based on sulfonated tetrafluoroethylene and g-C$_3$N$_4$ for water purification

M. I. Chebanenko^a, L. A. Lebedev^a, M. I. Tenevich^a, K. D. Martinson^a, O. N. Primachenko^b, S. V. Kononova^b, V. I. Popkov<sup>a

a</sup> Ioffe Institute, St. Petersburg, Russia
^b Institute of Macromolecular Compounds, St. Petersburg, Russia

Abstract: Water contamination from industrial effluents is a significant environmental challenge due to the presence of organic dyes. This study presents the development of self-cleaning nanocomposite membranes based on sulfonated tetrafluoroethylene and 2D graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) nanosheets for efficient water purification. The membranes were synthesized using solution casting with 1 and 5 wt.% g-C$_3$N$_4$ as a photocatalytic filler. A comprehensive physicochemical characterization was conducted using XRD, FTIR, SEM, DRS, and adsorption tests. The photocatalytic performance was assessed through the degradation of methylene blue under visible light. Results show that membranes with 5 wt.% g-C$_3$N$_4$ exhibit enhanced adsorption efficiency ($k$ = 0.0800 min$^{-1}$) and notable photocatalytic activity ($k$ = 0.0083 min$^{-1}$), leading to effective dye removal and self-cleaning functionality. These findings highlight the potential of hybrid polymer-nanomaterial membranes for sustainable wastewater treatment. The proposed membranes offer a promising solution for removing hazardous organic pollutants while maintaining long-term operational stability.

Keywords: polymers, metal-free catalysts, ionomeric fluoropolymer membranes, smart nanomaterials, photocatalysis, advanced oxidation processes, dye removal, environmental remediation.

Received: 12.03.2025
Accepted: 21.06.2025

Language: English

DOI: 10.17586/2220-8054-2025-16-4-510-520

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