Researchers from Hangzhou Normal University, Zhejiang Province Environmental Engineering Co., Hangzhou Hengjun Environmental Engineering Co., Zhejiang Carbon Reduction Technology Co., Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Kimyo International University in Tashkent, Urgench State University and Islamic University of Madinah have developed a graphene-enhanced electroadsorbent that tackles persistent PFAS pollutants in water.
PFAS are fluorinated pollutants that resist breakdown, accumulate in supplies, and challenge conventional treatments like carbon filters or membranes, which generate waste.
The team engineered MXene@rGO–LDH (MGL), where delaminated Ti₃C₂Tₓ MXene sheets are spaced by reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and coated with NiFe layered double hydroxide (LDH). rGO prevents MXene restacking for open ion channels and hierarchical porosity, restores metallic conductivity, and adds hydrophobic π-domains to attract fluorinated chains. LDH provides positive charges for anion binding under low bias (1.2 V).
MGL exhibits pseudo-second-order adsorption kinetics with an initial rate of 15.93 mg g⁻¹ min⁻¹, surpassing pristine MXene. Langmuir isotherm modeling yields a maximum PFOA capacity of 119.52 mg g⁻¹ - nearly double MXene's 64.55 mg g⁻¹. Removal efficiency reaches 98.45% at pH 4 and 86.39% at pH 10 under closed-circuit conditions, with tolerance to 1 mM NaNO₃ and 10 mg L⁻¹ humic acid (56% removal). Regeneration via reverse bias in ethanol/NaNO₃ eluent retains ~70% capacity after 10 cycles. SEM, XRD, and XPS verify structural stability; bias-applied XPS elucidates LDH-PFOA coordination and rGO/MXene pseudocapacitance.
This rGO-driven design advances scalable PFAS removal, addressing water quality crises for billions worldwide.
