Electroconductive Membranes for Desalination

Advancements in the field of materials science and membrane preparation processes are giving new possibilities for improving the performance of conventional membrane filtration with the use of electroconductive membranes (ECMs).

ECMs combine the separation effect of the membrane with the electrical effects of the conducting elements. Elements such as graphene, conductive polymers, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), etc. ECMs is a rapidly growing field, and they have shown potential for desalination and wastewater treatment.

The NYUAD Water Research Center is well invested in addressing issues such as the low monovalent salt selectivity of nanofiltration and the fabrication of flexible, selective, and highly electrically conductive membranes.

Our research aims to enhance the performance of the state-of-the-art membrane desalination via electrical effect. The challenge lies in assuring mechanical, thermal and chemical stability of such membranes without compromising performance. Fabrication techniques such as chemical functionalization and crosslinking are investigated as well as the incorporation of functional nanomaterials.