Membranes Research at the Polysep Laboratory
At the Polysep laboratory we are engaged in advanced membrane research which is focused on the following areas:
Ceramic-Supported Polymer Membranes
- Development of unique ceramic supported polymer (CSP) membranes. These composite structures demonstrate unique properties, combining the strength and durability of ceramics with the selectivity of polymeric surfaces. Our approach is based on surface nano-structuring to achieve the desired membrane separation qualities
Membrane Surfaces and Performance
- Fundamental investigations of physical and chemical structures at surfaces of various types of polymeric, ceramic and CSP membranes,
- Develop models for relating membrane surface properties with separation performance of aqueous, organic and gas phase systems.
- Modeling of surface crystallization and resulting membrane mineral scaling.
- Development of diagnostic tools and methods for optimal selection of membranes and operating conditions for specific RO/NF applications the selection.
Research on specific membrane processes includes:
- Development of CSP membranes for pervaporation separation of organic-aqueous and organic-organic mixtures.
- Modeling of non-isothermal pervaporation
- Application of CSP membranes to conventional separation processes such as oil-water mixtures and ultrafiltration of proteins.
Reverse Osmosis and Nanofiltration
- Application of reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) membranes to various desalination processes with a focus on wastewater reclamation. This effort involves fundamental studies on the relationship between membrane performance with surface morphology and chemistry.
- Membrane fouling is another important research area. Our efforts are focused on fouling by colloidal particles, dissolved organics and mineral scale formation. Development of appropriate pretreatment strategies is an important goal of this research.
The PolySep laboratory has the capability for novel membrane development, membrane modification, and evaluation of various membrane systems. Our laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation and bench-scale test equipment.
Last update:
10/31/2004
