Ultrafiltration polyethersulfone-MXene mixed matrix membranes with enhanced air dehumidification and oil-water separation performance

This study demonstrates a novel method for enhancing ultrafiltration membrane performance by integrating Ti₃C₂T_x MXene nanomaterials into a polyethersulfone (PES) matrix, creating mixed matrix membranes (MMMs). The structure and surface characteristics of the fabricated MMM containing different loadings of Mxene were thoroughly characterized using SEM, TEM, XRD, and AFM. The membrane performance in water–oil separation and as support for air-dehumidification membranes were investigated. Incorporating Mxene improved the membrane morphology, hydrophilicity, and mechanical properties. Moreover, the PES-MXene MMMs exhibited ultra-high water flux of 2280 LMH/bar, 98 % oil rejection, and a water vapor permeance (WVP) of 18,100 GPU, significantly outperforming the control PES membranes. Long-term stability assessments for 16 h revealed the optimum MMM containing 0.1 wt MXene has an emulsion flux of 180 % of the control PES membrane. Antifouling testing using 1000 mg/L milk solution also demonstrated that the MMM has a 50 % reduction in irreversible fouling than the control PES membrane. These results establish the PES-MXene MMMs as a high-performance solution for water treatment and air-dehumidification applications, opening new application avenues.