Jianqing Hu

Magnetically separable Fe3O4@TiO2 nanospheres: preparation and photocatalytic activity

A facile and efficient approach for the fabrication of Fe3O4@TiO2 nanospheres with a good core–shell structure has been demonstrated. Products were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The results showed that Fe3O4@TiO2 nanocomposites exhibited high degree of crystallinity, excellent magnetic properties at room temperature. Furthermore, the as-prepared Fe3O4@TiO2 nanocomposites exhibited good photocatalytic activity toward the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) solution. Additionally, the recycling experiment of Fe3O4@TiO2 nanocomposites had been done, demonstrating that Fe3O4@TiO2 nanocomposites have high efficiency and stability.

Combined ‘spear and shield’: superhydrophilic antimicrobial and antifouling mesh membrane for efficient oil–water separation through facile and environmentally friendly strategy

Superhydrophilic stainless steel mesh membranes (SSMMs) with excellent antifouling, antimicrobial, and filtration performance, based on three-layer architecture, have been successfully prepared by a facile and environmentally friendly strategy. The superhydrophilic terpolymer poly(DMHB-SPP-HEA), denoted as PDSH, was synthesized through aqueous solution polymerization. PDSH-coated SSMMs (PDSH-SSMMs) were achieved by successive dip-coating of the commercial SSMMs into polyvinyl alcohol, divinyl sulfone (DVS), and PDSH solutions. The DVS layer and PDSH solution were crosslinked through DVS chemistry to enhance the hydrophilicity and provide a number of unique properties, such as antimicrobial activity, antifouling ability, and oil–water separation capability. Two different PDSH-SSMMs, PDSH0-SSMM and PDSH5-SSMM, were prepared and characterized using FTIR, SEM, and contact angle measurement (CAM). The antimicrobial activity, bovine serum albumin (BSA) fouling, and oil–water separation performance were evaluated simultaneously. The results indicate that PDSH0-SSMM is an excellent oil–water separation membrane for long-term separation, together with its extra antimicrobial and antifouling properties. It is promising for the industrialization of multi-functional membranes through this facile and environmentally friendly strategy.