Facile Fabrication of Carbon Hybrid Membranes by Fast Self-Assembled Coating with Metal-Phenolic Networks for the Selective Separation of Lead from Water

Inert surface chemistry of carbon materials hinders theirflexibilityin modification for environmental remediation. Herein, the green facilesurface coating of metal-phenolic networks on activated carbonvia rapid self-assembly is reported for selective separation of Pb(II)from water. The resulting hybrid membrane (CTA-Zr) demonstratesexcellent mechanical stability and water flux at a mass ratio of 80%activated carbon and 20% TA-Zr. Data indicate that Pb(II) adsorptionof CTA-Zr is up to 592.75 mg in TA-Zr content and asuperior selectivity with a distribution coefficient (K (d)) of 55.11 L & BULL;g(-1) with regard toPb(II), exceeding that of the ion exchanger D001 by 226 times. Underlyingadsorption mechanism is mainly dominated by proton exchange betweenPb(II) and phenolic hydroxyl groups of TA as indicated by X-ray photoelectronspectroscopy analysis. Continuous filtration experiments demonstratethat 2850 L of water per square meter of a membrane can be treatedusing CTA-Zr with a breakthrough point of 1.0 mg & BULL;L-1, whereas D001 membrane yields 100 L of clean water.Saturated CTA-Zr can be regenerated more than five times withouta considerable decline in performance. This study introduces a novelchemical modification approach for the inert interface to enhanceheavy metals removal from water. Afacial surface coating of metal-phenolic networkswas successfully applied for modification of inert interface for waterremediation application.