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            Free, publicly-accessible full text available December 26, 2025
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            As the demand for sustainable and efficient water treatment solutions grows, the integration of advanced nanomaterials has become a focal point in enhancing membrane technologies. The purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive and critical analysis of the current state of research on Ti3C2Tx MXenes, highlighting their unique properties, the challenges they address, and the potential they hold for MXene-enhanced biofiltration-membrane systems. The perspective systematically examines how Ti3C2Tx MXenes, with their exceptional electrical conductivity, hydrophilicity, and tunable surface chemistry, can be integrated into biofiltration-membrane systems to improve key performance metrics such as water flux, contaminant rejection, and fouling resistance. Various processes, including biofiltration, adsorption, and nanofiltration, are discussed, where Ti3C2Tx MXenes have been shown to have a potential application. In addition to synthesizing existing literature, experimental validations are presented that demonstrate how MXene incorporation can alter membrane morphology and structure, leading to improved antibacterial properties and enhanced overall performance. These findings underscore the transformative potential of Ti3C2Tx MXenes in developing next-generation biofiltration-membrane technologies that are not only more efficient but also more sustainable. Through this perspective, the key challenges that remain, such as cost implications and long-term stability, are identified, and future research directions are proposed to address these issues. This in-depth analysis highlights the critical role MXenes can play in advancing water treatment technologies, particularly in the context of water reuse, and encourages further interdisciplinary research in this rapidly evolving field.more » « lessFree, publicly-accessible full text available January 1, 2026
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            We investigated the applicability of membranes, prepared with Ti3C2Tx MXene as the active layer, for metal ion removal from an organic solvent. The removal of various mixed metal ions from propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate, commonly used in the microelectronics industry, was evaluated. The MXene membrane exhibited over 90% removal efficiency for metal ions such as Li, Ca, Cr, Fe, Ni, and Co and over 80% for metal ions such as Al, V, and Pb from a solution containing 17 metal ions. This result highlights the potential of MXene as an effective material for ion removal from organic solvents.more » « less
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            Abstract Water pollution is a major global challenge, as conventional polymeric membranes are not adequate for water treatment anymore. Among emerging materials for water treatment, composite membranes are promising, as they have simultaneously improved water permeation and ions rejection. Recently, a new family of 2D materials called MXenes has attracted considerable attention due to their appealing properties and wide applications. MXenes can be incorporated into many polymeric materials due to their high compatibility. MXenes/polymer composite membranes have been found to have appealing electrical, thermal, mechanical, and transport properties, because of strong interactions between polymer chains and surface functional groups of MXenes and the selective nanochannels that are created. This article reviews advances made in the area of ion‐selective MXene‐based membranes for water purification. It puts the advances into perspective and provides prospects. MXenes’ properties and synthesis methods are briefly described. Strategies for the preparation of MXene‐based membranes including mixed‐matrix membranes, thin‐film nanocomposite membranes, and laminated membranes are reviewed. Recent advances in ion‐separation and water‐desalination MXene‐based membranes are elucidated. The dependence of ion‐separation performance of the membranes on fabrication techniques, MXene's interlayer spacing, and MXene's various surface terminations are elucidated. Finally, opportunities and challenges in ion‐selective MXene‐based membranes are discussed.more » « less
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