Membrane-based separation processes are commonly used in many sectors of industry, including water and wastewater treatment, gas separations, and food processing. However, these membranes are often passive materials, with little impact on their immediate environment. In membrane separations, it is this immediate environment, i.e., the membrane/water interface, that controls process efficiency. For example, membrane fouling and concentration polarization, where dissolved and particulate matter accumulate along the membrane surface, can slow down the passage of water through the membrane and even damage the membrane material. In addition, the local environment along the membrane/water interface can dramatically change the separation properties of membranes. For example, the pH along this interface can determine speciation of certain contaminants and dramatically impact their rejection by membrane materials. In this talk we will discuss how electrically conducting polymeric membranes, formed by pairing percolating carbon nanotube networks with appropriate polymers and metal nanoparticles can be used to control conditions at the membrane/water interface. We will discuss how these membranes can be fabricated at scale, their surface and electronic properties, and provide some specific examples how the application of an electrical potential to the membrane surface can address some of the inherent problems associated with these separation processes, including fouling reduction, selectivity enhancement, and self-cleaning.<br/>

Electrochemistry at the membrane/water interface

256th National Meeting (2018)

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