Designing energy-efficient separation membranes: Knowledge from nature for a sustainable future

Chen, Ting; Wei, Xiuming; Chen, Zheng; Morin, Duncan; Alvarez, Sarai Veiga; Yoon, Yeomin; Huang, Yi

doi:10.1016/j.advmem.2022.100031

Cited by 26 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 227 publications

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“…The efficiency of use, reuse and recycling of these types of resources can be improved by changing resource management approaches and by implementing technologies that contribute to separating these resources from wastes, such as membrane separation technologies. Membrane separation technologies are important tools for addressing metal, mineral, nutrient and water resources security challenges and environmental challenges (T. Chen et al ., 2022).…”

Section: Bioengineering Selective Membrane Separation Technologiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular membrane separation: plants inspire new technologies

et al. 2023

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Plants draw up their surrounding soil solution to gain water and nutrients required for growth, development and reproduction. Obtaining adequate water and nutrients involves taking up both desired and undesired elements from the soil solution and separating resources from waste. Desirable and undesirable elements in the soil solution can share similar chemical properties, such as size and charge. Plants use membrane separation mechanisms to distinguish between different molecules that have similar chemical properties. Membrane separation enables distribution or retention of resources and efflux or compartmentation of waste. Plants use specialised membrane separation mechanisms to adapt to challenging soil solution compositions and distinguish between resources and waste. Coordination and regulation of these mechanisms between different tissues, cell types and subcellular membranes supports plant nutrition, environmental stress tolerance and energy management. This review considers membrane separation mechanisms in plants that contribute to specialised separation processes and highlights mechanisms of interest for engineering plants with enhanced performance in challenging conditions and for inspiring the development of novel industrial membrane separation technologies. Knowledge gained from studying plant membrane separation mechanisms can be applied to developing precision separation technologies. Separation technologies are needed for harvesting resources from industrial wastes and transitioning to a circular green economy.

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Section: Bioengineering Selective Membrane Separation Technologiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular membrane separation: plants inspire new technologies

et al. 2023

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“…Many natural channels exhibit extraordinary performance in species selectivity across the biomembranes due to specific molecular recognition [63,64]. They could easily overcome the permeance-selectivity trade-off, which is difficult for synthetic membrane materials.…”

Section: Membranes With Channel Structuresmentioning

confidence: 99%

The recent advance of precisely designed membranes for sieving

Zhu²,

Zhu³

et al. 2023

Nanotechnology

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Developing new membranes with both high selectivity and permeability is critical in membrane science since conventional membranes are often limited by the trade-off between selectivity and permeability. In recent years, the emergence of advanced materials with accurate structures at atomic or molecular scale, such as MOF, COF, graphene, has accelerated the development of membranes, offering opportunities to manipulate the membrane structures precisely. In this review, current state-of-the-art membranes are first reviewed and classified into three different types according to the structures of their building blocks, including laminar structured membranes, framework structured membranes， and channel structured membranes, followed by the performance and applications for representative separations (liquid separation and gas separation) of these precisely designed membranes. Last, the challenges and opportunities of these advanced membranes are also discussed.

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“…Phase inversion is one of the most commonly used methods in the production of nanomaterials within polymeric membranes. , The process entails applying a polymer solution onto a substrate and subsequently inducing a phase transition to convert the solution into a solid, porous membrane, as depicted in Figure . The process can also be controlled by adjusting the process parameters to produce polymeric membranes that have a precise pore size, porosity, and selectivity. , This technique holds the benefit of providing versatility and scalability, rendering it appropriate for the expansive manufacturing of the membranes …”

Section: Synthesis Of Nanomaterials Within Polymeric Membranesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Layer-by-layer assembly is a bottom-up technique used to develop membranes by subsequently depositing alternating layers of oppositely charged macromolecules (mainly polyelectrolytes) onto a substrate and washing them after every step, resulting in the formation of a dense, uniform, and well-defined membrane. ,, Membranes produced via this method have enhanced mechanical stability since the nanomaterials incorporated into the polymers improve their strength and durability, making them suitable for use in harsh environments such as high-pressure and high-temperature applications. , …”

Section: Synthesis Of Nanomaterials Within Polymeric Membranesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Current Status and Advancement of Nanomaterials within Polymeric Membranes for Water Purification

Noah

2023

ACS Appl. Nano Mater.

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The contamination of water resources is a significant environmental challenge. The creation of innovative technologies to address this challenge is of paramount significance. Nanomaterials within polymeric membranes have surfaced as a hopeful technology within the realm of water purification, offering solutions to crucial issues concerning the elimination of pollutants and pathogens from water supplies. The exceptional properties of nanomaterials within polymeric membranes, including their high surface area, tunable pore sizes, and selective permeability, have enabled significant progress in the effective removal of various contaminants from water. This is due to the integration of nanoscale materials, such as metal nanoparticles, nanofibers, graphene, and graphene oxide, which has further enhanced the membrane performance by introducing enhanced mechanical strength, improved separation efficiency, and increased adsorption capacities. Recent research has focused on tailoring nanomaterials within polymeric membranes to target specific contaminants, such as viruses, bacteria, heavy metals, organic pollutants, and microplastics. Functionalization techniques, such as surface modification and incorporation of specific functional groups, have been employed to enhance the adsorption and separation capabilities of these membranes. Moreover, innovative fabrication methods, including layer-by-layer assembly, electrospinning, and template-assisted techniques, have been explored to achieve precise control over membrane properties and morphology. This review provides an overview of the current status and advancements in the utilization of nanomaterials within polymeric membranes for water purification applications.

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Designing energy-efficient separation membranes: Knowledge from nature for a sustainable future

Cited by 26 publications

References 227 publications

Molecular membrane separation: plants inspire new technologies

Molecular membrane separation: plants inspire new technologies

The recent advance of precisely designed membranes for sieving

Current Status and Advancement of Nanomaterials within Polymeric Membranes for Water Purification

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