Fabrication of Pomelo Peel/MXene/Ag Sponges Integrated Catalytic Ability and Oil–Water Separation for Sewage Treatment

ABSTRACT

Developing a practical multifunctional material possessing both high oil–water separation efficiency and excellent catalytic activity is crucial for sewage purification. Herein, a multifunctional sponge was engineered by employing pomelo peel (PP, a low‐cost agricultural waste) as a 3D porous matrix to sequentially load Ti ₃ C ₂ T _x MXene nanosheets and Ag nanoparticles (NPs). The loading process merely involved a simple impregnation procedure of PP in MXene dispersion and spontaneous redox reaction between MXene and AgNO ₃ , being beneficial for large‐scale synthesis and future practical application. The as‐obtained PP/MXene/Ag composite sponge exhibited high catalytic performances toward 4‐nitrophenol (4‐NP) due to a synergistic effect between MXene and Ag NPs. Beyond that, the sponge also displayed superior separation efficacy with respect to immiscible oil–water mixtures and oil‐in‐water (O/W) emulsions owing to its underwater oil repellency. Combining above both abilities, the PP/MXene/Ag sponge was capable of dealing simultaneously with various contaminants in sewage.