Polythiophene/Ti3C2TX MXene Composites for Effective Removal of Diverse Organic Dyes via Complementary Activity of Adsorption and Photodegradation

This study presents an effective method to remove organic dyes from wastewater, using a composite of few-layered porous (FLP) Ti₃C₂T_x MXene and polythiophene (PTh) nanospheres. The FLP MXene, which was pre-synthesized by a series of intercalation, heat-induced TiO₂ formation, and its selective etching, was combined with PTh nanospheres via a simple solution method. The composite effectively removed various organic dyes, but its efficiency was altered depending on the type of dye. Particularly, the removal efficiency of methylene blue reached 91.3% and 97.8% after irradiation for 10 min and 1 h, respectively. The high dye removal efficiency was attributed to the large surface area (32.01 m²/g) of the composite, strong electrostatic interaction between the composite and dye molecules, and active photodegradation process. The strong electrostatic interaction and large surface area could facilitate the adsorption of dye molecules, while photocatalytic activity further enhance dye removal under light. These results are indicative that the PTh/FLP MXene composite may be a promising material for environmental remediation through synergistic processes of adsorption and photocatalysis.