Recent Research on Porous Membranes

Dear Colleagues,

Membrane systems are present in more and more operations involving everyday life and the processes that science studies to improve it. Membrane operations that reproduce processes present in nature are increasingly studied and implemented at industrial levels, both in molecular separations and in chemical transformations (membrane reactors) and in mass and energy transfer systems between different phases (contactors with membrane).

The heart of a membrane process is, of course, a membrane, which, according to the European Membrane Society, is an intermediate phase that separates two phases and acts as an active or passive barrier for transporting matter between the phases adjacent to it. Properly designing a membrane is not a foregone conclusion, as it must be tailored to a particular need or operation.

There is a great variety of membranes including polymeric, ceramic, metallic and hybrid, with different peculiarities, problems and potentials. When designing a membrane, it is necessary to take into account the chemical, physical and resistance characteristics of the material that composes it by studying the best preparation method, choosing the configuration and determining its morphology and, therefore, its performance.

Originally, researchers spoke of a membrane as a "sieve," and the idea of ​​a sieve is even more likely when it comes to porous membranes. Jaques Yves Costeau (French explorer, navigator, military man, oceanographer and director) wrote the following: “What is a scientist after all? He is a curious man who looks through the keyhole, the keyhole of nature, trying to know what is happening." Now, what is a door? It is similar to a keyhole that allows us to look beyond the pores of a membrane; well, they are doors that allow passage, and they can block or remain ajar with respect to the mystery of science that is always a process of continuous discovery and is always thirsty for a new journey. It is, therefore, easy to imagine porous membranes as a sieve that acts as a barrier for some substances and lets others pass, but the process develops inside them. Membranes are not simple films with different pore sizes. The properties of the material constituting the membrane contribute significantly to the success of the separation and, in any case, if the pores represent the "passage point", it is necessary to evaluate the driving force that promotes it and the "path" through which it occurs. The pores are not simple holes; they are paths, and for this reason they can be more or less linear, more or less regular, more or less tortuous, more or less uphill and more or less smooth. The structures of the pores and their distribution and geometry constitute a further chapter of membrane science, which is why this Special Issue will focus on synthesis, properties and applications of porous membranes.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following: new porous membranes for solid/solid and liquid/solid separation, new uses of porous membranes and the study and control of the morphology of porous membranes.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Amalia Gordano
Guest Editor

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• membrane
• polymer
• characterization
• morphology
• membrane operation
• porous membranes