In-situ preparation of uniform AgNPs/PVDF membrane with excellent photocatalytic and antibacterial properties

The photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants has been demonstrated to be both cost-effective and efficient. However, catalysts are prone to loss and migration during use, and recycling them still presents a series of complex and urgent problems. In this work, silver nanoparticles/polyvinylidene fluoride (AgNPs/PVDF) hybrid photocatalytic membrane was prepared in-situ by introducing AgNO₃ into a PVDF casting solution, employing the immersion phase inversion method, and applying UV post-treatment. The membrane exhibits high efficiency in photocatalytically degrading organic compounds, including dyes and antibiotics. Degradation of methylene blue (MB) was found to reach 99.9% within 5 h, and the membrane exhibited excellent cyclic stability over 4 cycles. Photocatalytic degradation of MB was mainly found to be induced by superoxide radicals (·O2–), and the photocatalytic degradation mechanism was explored. The AgNPs/PVDF photocatalytic membrane also demonstrated high antibacterial efficacy against E. coli, impeding bacterial proliferation during application. The highly convenient preparation of photocatalytic membrane offers a new option for efficiently treating wastewater contaminated with organic pollutants.