Advanced catalytic cleaning membranes: Contemporary status and future prospects

As an emerging technology, catalytic cleaning membranes combine catalytic degradation functions with specific separation capabilities for removing contaminants from various water sources. Theoretically, catalytic cleaning membranes can effectively alleviate the clogging issues associated with conventional membranes while enhancing the quality of the treated water for practical applications. This review focuses primarily on the catalytic cleaning mechanisms of such membranes and their classification on the basis of these mechanisms, as well as their preparation strategies. This review also covers the contemporary applications of advanced catalytic cleaning membranes in water treatment, including the removal of fouling contaminants, the degradation of dyes, and the breakdown of novel contaminants. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the prospects and exciting directions in the field of designing next-generation catalytic cleaning functional membranes, which can spur the rapid development of diverse advanced membranes and functional materials for environmental remediation and beyond.