Microfluidics‐Driven Piezophotocatalysis: An Innovative Approach for Accelerated Water Remediation Using PVDF–Transition Metal Sulfide‐Based Piezocatalysts

TL;DR

A new microfluidic system using piezophotocatalysis rapidly and efficiently removes pollutants like dyes and pharmaceuticals from water.

Contribution

The integration of microfluidics with PVDF-based piezocatalysts and flow-engineered structures for enhanced water remediation is novel.

Findings

The system achieved ≥94% degradation of RhB and ≥90% of CIP within 252 seconds.

PM15 and PW20 nanocomposites showed optimal performance in electromechanical response and pollutant removal.

A multiple linear regression model accurately predicted degradation efficiencies based on operational parameters.

Abstract

The growing contamination of water resources with persistent dyes and pharmaceuticals necessitates the development of rapid and energy‐efficient remediation technologies. We present a microfluidic purification reactor that synergistically integrates piezophotocatalysis with flow‐engineered microstructures to enable rapid pollutant degradation. The microreactor, fabricated from polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) via laser micromachining, was optimized with strategically positioned micropillars to induce turbulence and enhance mass transfer, with COMSOL Multiphysics simulations validating flow behavior and vorticity patterns. Catalytic functionality was introduced through an electrospun polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) nanofiber membrane embedded with MoS2 and WS2 nanoparticles forming an active piezophotocatalytic interface within the reactor bed. Structural, compositional, and functional characterizations identified PM15 (15 wt% MoS2) and PW20 (20 wt% WS2) as optimal nanocomposites, with their electromechanical response validated by a piezoelectric nanogenerator generating ≥36 V. Under optimized operating conditions, flow rate of 50 µL/min, visible‐light irradiation, and ultrasonic excitation at 60 kHz, the integrated system achieved rapid degradation efficiencies of ≥94% for RhB and ≥90% for CIP within 252 s, outperforming conventional methods. A multiple linear regression model accurately predicted degradation efficiencies from key operational parameters, demonstrating the utility of data‐driven process optimization. Overall, the integrated microfluidic–piezophotocatalyst platform establishes a rapid, high‐throughput, and energy‐efficient approach for advanced water purification.

An integrated microfluidic platform integrating flow‐engineered micropillars with a PVDF–TMDC‐based piezophotocatalytic membrane enables rapid and energy‐efficient degradation of dyes and pharmaceuticals. Synergistic piezoelectric activation, visible‐light irradiation, ultrasonic vibration, and microscale flow dynamics deliver high‐throughput pollutant removal, serving as a promising proof of concept and a basis for future real wastewater degradation studies in complex water matrices.© 2026 WILEY‐VCH GmbH

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