Constructing a CoFe2O4-Impregnated Ceramic Membrane with Catalytic Ozonation Capability for Mitigating Irreversible Membrane Fouling

To in situ and efficiently degrade irreversible membrane contaminants under mild conditions, SiC ceramic membranes (CMs) were imparted a catalytic ozonation functionality. A spinel-type CoFe2O4 catalyst was fabricated via a citrate-assisted sol–gel method and subsequently impregnated into the macropores of SiC ceramic membranes through a urea-assisted one-step combustion technique. The as-prepared catalytic membranes (CoFe2O4-CM) were systematically characterized by SEM, EDS, XRD and XPS techniques, and the catalytic ozonation performance was evaluated in an integrated catalytic ozonation–membrane separation system (CoFe2O4-CM/O3). A flux recovery rate (FRR) of 93.33% was achieved at an ozone concentration of 70.27 mg·L−1 within 30 min, indicating that a catalytic self-cleaning membrane was successfully developed. The possible catalytic reaction mechanism was elucidated by identifying reactive oxygen species generated using free radical quenching tests and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis. This study offers a promising and environmentally friendly strategy for ceramic membrane cleaning in various membrane separation fields.