Multifunctional nanocomposite ceramic membranes for water purification: synergistic mechanisms and scale-up challenges

ABSTRACT

Schematic summarizing the review of nanocomposite ceramic membranes for water purification, highlighting coupled removal mechanisms (AOP, photocatalysis, electrochemistry, enhanced filtration) and scale-up barriers such as leaching, fouling, and cost.

Nanocomposite ceramic membranes are being developed to extend ceramic membrane separation from mainly size-based retention toward combined filtration, adsorption, and reactive transformation. The micropollutants are usually present at trace concentrations but may cause ecological and human health concerns. Conventional low-pressure ceramic microfiltration and ultrafiltration membranes are generally unable to remove many dissolved micropollutants by size exclusion alone. Incorporating nanomaterials into ceramic membranes can introduce additional functions, such as surface adsorption, catalytic oxidation, photocatalysis, electrocatalysis, antimicrobial activity, and fouling mitigation. However, translation from laboratory studies to practical water-treatment systems remains constrained by nanoparticle aggregation, weak interfacial bonding, material leaching, uncertain transformation-product toxicity, membrane fouling in complex water matrices, high fabrication costs, and limited long-term pilot-scale data. This review summarizes recent progress in nanocomposite ceramic membranes for water purification, with emphasis on modification strategies, coupled with removal mechanisms, structure–performance relationships, and scale-up constraints. The review also discusses bioinspired membrane design, artificial intelligence-assisted optimization, and life cycle assessment as tools for addressing durability, process control, and sustainability challenges. By linking pollutant characteristics, ceramic membrane structure, nanomaterial functionality, and engineering limitations, this review aims to provide a more application-oriented framework for the design and evaluation of nanocomposite ceramic membranes.