Designing energy-efficient separation membranes: Knowledge from nature for a sustainable future
Membrane separation has provided efficient solutions for addressing energy and environmental challenges over the past few decades due to its low energy consumption, convenient operation, and reduced secondary pollution. An energy-efficient membrane separation process usually requires high-performanc...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
KeAi Communications Co. Ltd.
2022-01-01
|
| Series: | Advanced Membranes |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772823422000070 |
| _version_ | 1797959590948634624 |
|---|---|
| author | Ting Chen Xiuming Wei Zheng Chen Duncan Morin Sarai Veiga Alvarez Yeomin Yoon Yi Huang |
| author_facet | Ting Chen Xiuming Wei Zheng Chen Duncan Morin Sarai Veiga Alvarez Yeomin Yoon Yi Huang |
| author_sort | Ting Chen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Membrane separation has provided efficient solutions for addressing energy and environmental challenges over the past few decades due to its low energy consumption, convenient operation, and reduced secondary pollution. An energy-efficient membrane separation process usually requires high-performance membranes with outstanding chemical, mechanical properties, special nanostructures, and superior separation characteristics. Hence, considerable effort has been devoted to finding and designing new membrane materials with optimized membrane structures. In recent years, researchers have gained deep knowledge of learning biomimetic concepts or strategies from nature for designing energy-efficient separation membranes with favorable structures. This is because, after 4.5 billion years of evolution, the world of nature has become a natural school for scientists and engineers, which has offered astonishing solutions/inspirations for designing more sustainable separation materials. In this review, particular attention is paid to knowledge from nature for the design of separation membranes and recent advancements in their design strategies. Additionally, natural functional materials that have been utilized in the replacement of conventional fossil-based materials for membrane production are reviewed. Present challenges and directions for the development of next-generation membranes are also discussed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T00:33:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5ea4acd3a9ae460799e3e7dfb9f4cbad |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2772-8234 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T00:33:47Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | KeAi Communications Co. Ltd. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Advanced Membranes |
| spelling | doaj.art-5ea4acd3a9ae460799e3e7dfb9f4cbad2023-01-07T04:17:45ZengKeAi Communications Co. Ltd.Advanced Membranes2772-82342022-01-012100031Designing energy-efficient separation membranes: Knowledge from nature for a sustainable futureTing Chen0Xiuming Wei1Zheng Chen2Duncan Morin3Sarai Veiga Alvarez4Yeomin Yoon5Yi Huang6School of Engineering, Institute for Materials & Processes, The University of Edinburgh, Robert Stevenson Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FB, United KingdomSchool of Engineering, Institute for Materials & Processes, The University of Edinburgh, Robert Stevenson Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FB, United KingdomSchool of Engineering, Institute for Materials & Processes, The University of Edinburgh, Robert Stevenson Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FB, United KingdomSchool of Engineering, Institute for Materials & Processes, The University of Edinburgh, Robert Stevenson Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FB, United KingdomSchool of Engineering, Institute for Materials & Processes, The University of Edinburgh, Robert Stevenson Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FB, United KingdomDepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 29208, United StatesSchool of Engineering, Institute for Materials & Processes, The University of Edinburgh, Robert Stevenson Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FB, United Kingdom; Corresponding author.Membrane separation has provided efficient solutions for addressing energy and environmental challenges over the past few decades due to its low energy consumption, convenient operation, and reduced secondary pollution. An energy-efficient membrane separation process usually requires high-performance membranes with outstanding chemical, mechanical properties, special nanostructures, and superior separation characteristics. Hence, considerable effort has been devoted to finding and designing new membrane materials with optimized membrane structures. In recent years, researchers have gained deep knowledge of learning biomimetic concepts or strategies from nature for designing energy-efficient separation membranes with favorable structures. This is because, after 4.5 billion years of evolution, the world of nature has become a natural school for scientists and engineers, which has offered astonishing solutions/inspirations for designing more sustainable separation materials. In this review, particular attention is paid to knowledge from nature for the design of separation membranes and recent advancements in their design strategies. Additionally, natural functional materials that have been utilized in the replacement of conventional fossil-based materials for membrane production are reviewed. Present challenges and directions for the development of next-generation membranes are also discussed.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772823422000070Membrane separationBiomimeticBioinspirationBiopolymerSustainable development |
| spellingShingle | Ting Chen Xiuming Wei Zheng Chen Duncan Morin Sarai Veiga Alvarez Yeomin Yoon Yi Huang Designing energy-efficient separation membranes: Knowledge from nature for a sustainable future Advanced Membranes Membrane separation Biomimetic Bioinspiration Biopolymer Sustainable development |
| title | Designing energy-efficient separation membranes: Knowledge from nature for a sustainable future |
| title_full | Designing energy-efficient separation membranes: Knowledge from nature for a sustainable future |
| title_fullStr | Designing energy-efficient separation membranes: Knowledge from nature for a sustainable future |
| title_full_unstemmed | Designing energy-efficient separation membranes: Knowledge from nature for a sustainable future |
| title_short | Designing energy-efficient separation membranes: Knowledge from nature for a sustainable future |
| title_sort | designing energy efficient separation membranes knowledge from nature for a sustainable future |
| topic | Membrane separation Biomimetic Bioinspiration Biopolymer Sustainable development |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772823422000070 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT tingchen designingenergyefficientseparationmembranesknowledgefromnatureforasustainablefuture AT xiumingwei designingenergyefficientseparationmembranesknowledgefromnatureforasustainablefuture AT zhengchen designingenergyefficientseparationmembranesknowledgefromnatureforasustainablefuture AT duncanmorin designingenergyefficientseparationmembranesknowledgefromnatureforasustainablefuture AT saraiveigaalvarez designingenergyefficientseparationmembranesknowledgefromnatureforasustainablefuture AT yeominyoon designingenergyefficientseparationmembranesknowledgefromnatureforasustainablefuture AT yihuang designingenergyefficientseparationmembranesknowledgefromnatureforasustainablefuture |