Copper-substituted polyoxometalate-soldered interpenetrating polymeric networks membranes for water remediation

[Display omitted] •Mixed-matrix sequential IPN membranes built from PVDF, Dopamine, and Cu-POM.•Electrostatically soldered Dopamine and Cu-POM controlled membrane surface properties.•Cu-POM augmented surface hydrophilicity and aided antifouling characteristics.•Maintained 98 % salt, >97 % of dye, and antibiotic rejection over repeated usage.•Membranes exhibited effective chlorine tolerance and non-cytotoxic behaviour. Attributing water remediation membranes with antifouling properties continues to be a significant research focus. Herein we have fabricated a Copper-substituted polyoxometalate (Cu-POM) mixed matrix sequential interpenetrating polymeric network membrane via integrating engineering aspects of IPNs and in-situ electrostatic attachment. The incorporation of Cu-POMs endowed the IPN membranes with exceptional and unique surface morphology. The inclusions enhanced the surface roughness, pore structure, and hydrophilic nature of the membranes. Superior antifouling characteristics and charge-carrying capacity were typical characteristics of the designed membranes. The membranes were characterized thoroughly via multiple spectroscopic and microscopic techniques apart from Zeta potential, water contact angle, TGA, and XRD. Over several and repeated operational cycles, the membranes were found to exhibit stable performance in terms of salt rejection (ca. 98 %), dye removal (>97 % for both cationic and anionic dyes), and antibiotic removal performance (>96 %). Despite their reuse, the membranes maintained their inherent antifouling and chlorine-tolerant behavior. The synthesized electrostatically tagged in-situ decorated Cu-POM-based IPN (Cu-POM @IPN) membranes were pliable and mechanically robust. They could potentially be emerging prospective candidates for efficient and expeditious water remediation.