Organic micropollutant removal by two-dimensional material membranes: Influencing factor analysis and mechanistic insights

The innovation of two-dimensional (2D) materials offers a competitive alternative for designing state-of-the-art membranes with outstanding separation performances. When combined with structural tailoring approaches, 2D material membranes exhibit impressive selectivity towards ions and organic molecules, highlighting their tremendous potential in water treatment applications. This review systematically summarizes current structural tailoring methods and rejection performance of 2D material membranes for eliminating organic micropollutants (OMPs) from water matrices. We use correlation analysis to reveal the potential relationship between solute-membrane interactions and membrane performance, and the previously overlooked interfacial phenomena during transmembrane processes are emphasized and critically discussed. We also comprehensively analyze transmembrane mechanisms within 2D material membranes based on conventional mass transfer theories and representative transport models, such as the pore-flow model and the solution-diffusion model. While interfacial phenomena have been esteemed as critical factors influencing molecular transmembrane behaviors, significant knowledge gaps remain in fully elucidating these potential mechanisms. By emphasizing the importance of interfacial interactions, this review provides a mechanistic perspective for designing 2D material membranes with enhanced OMP removal, thereby supporting the future development and innovation of state-of-the-art 2D material membranes.