Two-dimensional MXene membrane for ethanol dehydration

Two-dimensional MXene membranes have been successfully used in separation technology. With controllable interlayer nanochannels, abundant surface-terminating groups and hydrophilicity, MXene membranes also exhibit the potential in alcohol dehydration. Here, 2-μm-thick MXene membranes stacked by Ti3C2Tx nanosheets were fabricated and applied in ethanol dehydration for the first time. Effects of the feed ethanol concentration and operating temperature on the ethanol dehydration performance of the MXene membrane were investigated through a pervaporation process. The water/ethanol separation factor of the MXene membrane increased with increasing feed ethanol concentration. Additionally, the MXene membrane exhibited better ethanol dehydration performance at room temperature compared with that at elevated temperature. It gave a water/ethanol separation factor of 135.2 with a total flux of 263.4 g m−2 h−1 at room temperature for the azeotrope dehydration (95% ethanol mixed with 5% water). MXene membranes are promising in applications of pervaporation dehydration and solvent separation.