Catalytic hydrogenation is a promising process to treat recalcitrant pollutants in drinking water (e.g., nitrate, perchlorate, trichloroethylene). Metallic nanoparticles have shown a great potential as water-purification catalysts due to their high surface area and shape-dependent catalytical properties, enhancing the reactivity and degradation of contaminants. Two practical limitations exist that have limited the use of catalysis in drinking water treatment: mass transfer limitations from traditional three-phase packed bed reactors, and high costs associated with noble metals. Herein, we demonstrate the development a nanostructured triblock polymer membrane that is loaded with near single-atom catalysts. The membrane has short pore diffusion links, which increases the mass transfer rate and thus the overall rate of reaction. Near single atom loading was accomplished through the surface modification of the membrane with functional groups that provide attractive coordination with metals, specifically Pd. This drastically reduces the cost of using noble metals, which are orders of magnitude more reactive than more earth-abundant “catalysts.” We demonstrate the use of the membrane in batch and flow through reactors for the hydrogenation of a model oxidized contaminant, nitrite.

Nanostructured catalytic membrane for the treatment of drinking water contaminants

ACS Spring 2022

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