Cucurbit[6]uril-silver synergistic assembly of graphene oxide nanochannel membranes for dual-efficient fluorinated compound rejection and bacterial inhibition

The adhesion of bacteria from aquatic environments onto membrane surfaces can severely compromise the membrane's fluorinated compound rejection efficiency. While graphene oxide membranes demonstrate potential for pollutant separation, their practical application is constrained by interlayer swelling and interfacial instability. This study developed a reduced graphene oxide (rGO) composite membrane cross-linked via supramolecular host-guest interactions and ionic synergy, using cucurbit[6]uril (CB6) and silver ions, supported on polyaniline/polyimide electrospun nanofibers. CB6 formed stable complexes through ion-dipole interactions of polar carbonyl groups with silver ions, while cation-π interactions of silver ions with rGO establish a ternary cross-linked network, effectively suppressing interlayer swelling and precisely tuning nanochannel size. The membrane achieves a 98.2 % rejection rate for perfluorooctanoic acid. Additionally, silver ions, CB6, and rGO endow the membrane with long-lasting antibacterial properties, exhibiting a 99.6 % inhibition rate against Escherichia coli . This supramolecular synergistic strategy offers a novel approach for designing multifunctional membranes with high-efficiency separation and anti-biofouling performance.