Development of ceramic hollow-fiber nanofiltration membranes containing a functionalized MoS₂ nanomaterial for semiconductor wastewater treatment

In recent years, the rapid growth of the semiconductor industry has raised concerns about its environmental impact, particularly the wastewater generated from manufacturing processes such as wet chemical etching or cleaning. These processes typically produce effluent containing contaminants such as highly alkaline silica, ammonium phosphate, and various inorganic compounds. To address this issue, the present study developed ceramic nanofiltration (NF) membranes incorporating a molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) nanomaterial and evaluated their separation efficiency. Because of its stability and anti-fouling properties in water, MoS₂ was coated onto a ceramic hollow fiber ultrafiltration (UF) membrane substrate using pressure-assisted deposition. The physical and chemical properties of the fabricated ceramic NF membrane, indicating its pore size, surface charge, and hydrophilicity, were assessed and its removal efficiency for divalent ions, including magnesium sulfate (MgSO₄) and calcium chloride (CaCl₂), was compared to that of a pristine UF membrane and other commercially available polymeric NF membranes. This study demonstrates the potential of MoS₂-coated ceramic NF membranes for the effective treatment of semiconductor wastewater by effectively removing the low-molecular-weight contaminants produced by high-integration semiconductor manufacturing and lithium-ion battery recycling processes.