Photocatalytic degradation of organic compounds by TFC membranes functionalized with Ag/rGO nanocomposites

• A novel TFC membrane was decorated by Ag/rGO coated on the surface of CA membrane. • A new method achieved which Ag/rGO dispersed in TMC organic instead of aqueous layer. • TFC membrane achieved photodegradation efficiency of 92% for the MB dye. • TFC provided a high surface area which 6 cm 2 achieved higher efficiency within 60 min. • A high-stabile TFC remains sticky to Ag/rGO with 90% efficiency even after 4 runs. Todays, semiconductor nanomaterials are used extensively as an effective photocatalyst for organic compound degradation. The main challenge in photodegradation is the separation of nanomaterials from treated solutions. To overcome this problem a novel cross-linked membrane composed of thin-film polyamide/silver/reduced graphene oxide (PA/Ag/rGO) was successfully deposited on the surface of cellulose acetate membrane (CA). The prepared Ag/rGO nanocomposite and Ag/rGO/CA/TFC membranes were characterized using SEM and FTIR. The crystal structure of Ag/rGO was confirmed by XRD. EDX analysis indicates the successful deposition of Ag/rGO nanocomposite in the polyamide thin film (TFC) matrix. The high hydrophilicity of the Ag/rGO/CA/TFC membrane was confirmed by contact angle measurements, which decreased from 76 ± 5° to 45 ± 1 upon modification. The prepared membranes were applied for photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue dye (MB). Within 20 min, the synthesized Ag/rGO nanocomposite achieved fast degradation equilibrium with an efficiency of 98%, Ag/rGO/CA/TFC membranes displayed a 92 % efficiency, showing the remarkable ability for decomposition of MB and excellent efficiency for wastewater treatment. The degradability was greatly boosted with a high efficiency even after four runs. The increased photocatalytic activity of thin film (TFC) membrane-covered Ag/rGO nanocomposites could be useful in energy and environmental applications, as well as a potential choice for superior wastewater dyes removal.