# Glutaraldehyde Cross-Linked MXene-Nanocellulose Membrane for Efficient Dye/Salt Separation

## TL;DR

A new membrane made with MXene and nanocellulose efficiently separates dyes and salt while allowing high water flow.

## Contribution

A novel method to enhance MXene membranes using CNC and glutaraldehyde for high separation performance.

## Key findings

- The membrane achieves a water flux of 96.8 L m−2 h−1, 2.1 times higher than MXene alone.
- It rejects 99.6% of methyl blue dye but allows over 95% passage of salt (NaCl).
- The approach offers a universal strategy for high-performance 2D membranes.

## Abstract

This study proposes a novel approach for preparing a laminated carbides and nitrides (MXene) membrane with loose nanochannels by intercalating cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) and cross-linking with glutaraldehyde. The interlayer spacing of the MXene membrane can be expanded by one-dimensional CNC, while cross-linking with glutaraldehyde enhances the stability of the membrane. The optimized membrane displays a high water permeate flux of 96.8 L m−2 h−1 (2.1 times higher than MXene membrane) and good selectivity (methyl blue rejection rate: ~99.6%; NaCl rejection rate: <5.0%). This strategy provides a universal way to prepare high-performance two-dimensional membranes.