Glutaraldehyde Cross-Linked MXene-Nanocellulose Membrane for Efficient Dye/Salt Separation

This study proposes a novel approach for preparing a laminated carbides and nitrides (MXene) membrane with loose nanochannels by intercalating cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) and cross-linking with glutaraldehyde. The interlayer spacing of the MXene membrane can be expanded by one-dimensional CNC, while cross-linking with glutaraldehyde enhances the stability of the membrane. The optimized membrane displays a high water permeate flux of 96.8 L m^-2 h^-1 (2.1 times higher than MXene membrane) and good selectivity (methyl blue rejection rate: ~99.6%; NaCl rejection rate: <5.0%). This strategy provides a universal way to prepare high-performance two-dimensional membranes.