Ultra-low Cu(I) loading achieving ultra-high fouling-resistance and decontamination performance in a self-cleaning CuO/TiCT@PVDF catalytic membrane integrated system.

Engineering a catalytic and hydrophilic membrane integrated system holds significant environmental implications for fouling-resistant and efficient water purification. The heterojunction CuO/TiCT was successfully synthesized by leveraging the specific interactions between the terminal active groups of MXene and CuO, effectively addressing the limitations of the catalytic membrane's performance due to low-dose doping, and enhancing its catalytic activity and hydrophilicity. Here we report a ultra-low Cu(I) loading that achieves ultra-high fouling-resistance and decontamination performance in a self-cleaning CuO/TiCT@PVDF catalytic membrane integrated system. The representative membrane incorporating 1.0 wt% of CuO/TiCT (denoted as M-1.0) as a PMS activator demonstrated the successful performance of long-lasting antifouling and sustainable decontamination across a wide pH range in complex water matrices. The intrinsic Cu(I)/Cu(II) redox cycles was found to be crucial for driving PMS activation and oxidative conversion. Moreover, the CuO/TiCT-functionalized membrane demonstrated enhanced hydrophilicity and fouling-resistance compared to the pristine PVDF membrane. We further investigate the transformation and ecotoxicity of tetrabromobisphenol A and its intermediates within the M-1.0/PMS membrane system, providing valuable insights into the evolutionary dynamics of TBBPA. This work offers innovative perspectives for advancing environmental purification, membrane self-cleaning, and resources utilization technologies.