Biomimetic Core-Shell-Structured Nanofiber Membranes for Rapid and Portable Water Purification.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Science
• Biomimetics

Background:

• Portable water purification is crucial for outdoor activities due to pathogenic contaminants in natural water sources.
• Existing technologies often lack efficiency or portability for field use.
• Developing advanced materials for effective water treatment remains a significant challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and synthesize novel biomimetic core-shell nanofiber membranes for rapid and portable water purification (RPWP).
• To create a single-layer membrane with dual functionalities for removing diverse water contaminants.
• To evaluate the purification efficiency and capacity of the developed membranes.

Main Methods:

• Synthesized core-shell nanofiber membranes using *in situ* oxidation polymerization.
• Employed a polyimide nanofiber as the core and a polypyrrole (PPy) layer as the shell.
• Conducted model studies using Cr(VI)-contaminated water and field tests with river water.

Main Results:

• The biomimetic membranes demonstrated rapid removal of insoluble contaminants via a porous network.
• The PPy shell effectively adsorbed soluble contaminants, including Cr(VI).
• Purification capacity reached approximately 1415 L m^-2 for Cr(VI) and efficiently removed coliforms and suspended solids from river water.

Conclusions:

• The fish-gill-like biomimetic membranes possess dual functions for efficient water purification.
• This study presents a promising approach for developing advanced, single-layer membranes for highly efficient RPWP.
• The developed technology offers a viable solution for ensuring safe drinking water in remote or field settings.