Hierarchical 3D dendritic TiO2 nanospheres building with ultralong 1D nanoribbon/wires for high performance concurrent photocatalytic membrane water purification

• 3D dendriticTiO2 nanoribbon spheres were synthesized with the molar ratio of TTIP:EG = 1:2.
• 3D dendritic TiO2 nanowire spheres were synthesized with the molar ratio of TTIP:EG = 1:3.
• TiO2 nanospheres concurrent photocatalytic membrane water purification is a “win–win” strategy.
• “Environmental-friendly” and “cost-effective” manner for sustainable water purification.
• High flux, high removal rates of AO 7 and RhB, no fouling and long membrane lifespan.

Hierarchical 3D dendritic TiO2 nanospheres building with ultralong 1D TiO2 nanoribbon/wires were hydrothermally synthesized via controlling the hydrolysis rate of precursor by EG. It is found that the EG and Cl− in the precursor solution are the dominant factors in controlling the hydrolysis rate of Ti4+ from TTIP, and the growing direction of 1D TiO2, respectively. Through optimizing the molar ratio of TTIP:EG, hierarchical 3D dendritic TiO2 nanospheres building with long 1D nanoribbons (TiO2 nanoribbon spheres) were synthesized at a molar ratio of TTIP:EG = 1:2. And hierarchical 3D dendritic TiO2 nanospheres building with even longer and thinner 1D TiO2 nanowires (TiO2 nanowire spheres) were synthesized via further reducing the hydrolysis rate of Ti4+ by increasing the content of EG at a molar ratio of TTIP:EG = 1:3. The hierarchical 3D dendritic TiO2 nanoribbon/wire spheres were well characterized by a variety of techniques such as FESEM, TEM, XRD, N2 adsorption/desorption, UV–vis spectra, etc. A “win–win” strategy was developed to integrate the hierarchical TiO2 nanoribbon/wire spheres and membrane for high performance photocatalytic membrane water purification through maximizing the advantages of TiO2 photocatalysis and membrane, while minimizing their disadvantages. Hierarchical TiO2 nanoribbon/wire spheres exhibited high performance for water purification in terms of high flux, low fouling, high removal rate of pollutants, and long lifespan of membrane, both in concurrent dead end and cross flow membrane system. The rationale behind this phenomenon lies in that the hierarchical TiO2 nanoribbon/wire spheres in the concurrent system possess the advantages of mitigating the membrane fouling via photocatalytic degrading the organic pollutants relying on their high photocatalytic activities; and keeping high water flux owing to the porous functional layer favorable for water pass through. The experimental results demonstrated that the hierarchical TiO2 nanoribbon/wire spheres have better photodegradation ability of AO 7 and RhB pollutants so as to result in higher ability in mitigating fouling, and keep higher flux than TiO2 P25 under the same conditions. It is believable that this study is of great significances both in synthesizing hierarchical 3D dendritic TiO2 nanospheres building with ultralong 1D nanoribbon/wires, and in providing a “win–win” strategy for high performance concurrent photocatalytic membrane water purification featured as high flux, high removal rate of pollutants, low fouling and long membrane lifespan.

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