Challenges in developing industrial membranes
Lipnizki, Frank LU
(2025)
Membrane Materials - Modification and Separation, 2025
p.22-22
- Abstract
- Most of the key membrane materials used in industry today were developed in the 1960s and 1970s. The dominant materials on the market include polysulfone, polyethersulfone, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), and polyamide. These materials continue to be the backbone of membrane technologies, owing to their well-established performance, durability, and cost-effectiveness. However, despite significant advancements in membrane technology, the industry remains heavily reliant on these materials, primarily due to their proven track record in various applications.
The development of new industrial membranes presents several challenges beyond simply increasing flux and improving selectivity. One critical aspect is ensuring that membranes are... (More) - Most of the key membrane materials used in industry today were developed in the 1960s and 1970s. The dominant materials on the market include polysulfone, polyethersulfone, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), and polyamide. These materials continue to be the backbone of membrane technologies, owing to their well-established performance, durability, and cost-effectiveness. However, despite significant advancements in membrane technology, the industry remains heavily reliant on these materials, primarily due to their proven track record in various applications.
The development of new industrial membranes presents several challenges beyond simply increasing flux and improving selectivity. One critical aspect is ensuring that membranes are compatible with standard cleaning methods, such as caustic and acid cleaning at elevated temperatures, which are commonly used in industrial settings. While these cleaning procedures are essential for maintaining membrane performance, they also contribute to a reduction in membrane lifespan, further complicating the development of more durable membranes.
Moreover, membrane stability is essential to ensure that the new membranes developed can be used effectively in standard module configurations, such as spiral wound and hollow fiber systems, which are widely employed in large-scale applications. Another important consideration is ensuring compliance with stringent industrial standards, such as FDA regulations (CFR Title 21) for applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries, or Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 for materials and articles intended to come into contact with food. For drinking water applications, compliance with standards like NSF/ANSI 61 is critical to ensure safety and quality. However, apart from compliance, application knowledge is key. Understanding the specific requirements of different industrial processes and environments is crucial to tailoring membrane materials that can deliver the desired performance and longevity.
In addition to these established challenges, new issues are emerging, such as the sustainability of membrane materials and the solvents used in their production. In Europe, the REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 plays a key role in regulating and phasing out hazardous chemicals, including solvents used in membrane manufacturing. This regulation aims to minimize the environmental and health risks associated with chemicals, ensuring that membrane production evolves in a more sustainable direction.
The growing emphasis on sustainability is pushing the development of new, eco-friendly materials, alternative “green” solvents and new membrane production methods that can meet the performance demands of the industry while reducing their environmental impact. This shift is also influencing the need for innovations in membrane design, such as improving fouling resistance, enhancing the recyclability of membranes, and finding safer alternatives to toxic materials in membrane production.
This presentation aims to provide a deeper understanding of these challenges, offering insights into the key factors impacting the development of next-generation membranes and encourages close collaboration between membrane and membrane application developers.
Acknowledgements
The author would like to acknowledge the support of “Excellence Initiative – Research University” programme at the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun (Decision no. 78/2024/Mobility).
(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/5f4f99b4-aa31-4fb4-8a90-e77c20d7377e
- author
- Lipnizki, Frank
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2025-05-27
- type
- Contribution to conference
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Membranes, Membrane processes, Membrane production
- pages
- 1 pages
- conference name
- Membrane Materials - Modification and Separation, 2025
- conference location
- Torun, Poland
- conference dates
- 2025-05-27 - 2025-05-30
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 5f4f99b4-aa31-4fb4-8a90-e77c20d7377e
- alternative location
- https://m3s.umk.pl/pliki/Abstract%20Book%203M3-S.pdf
- date added to LUP
- 2025-12-30 10:13:03
- date last changed
- 2026-01-14 11:23:58
@misc{5f4f99b4-aa31-4fb4-8a90-e77c20d7377e,
abstract = {{Most of the key membrane materials used in industry today were developed in the 1960s and 1970s. The dominant materials on the market include polysulfone, polyethersulfone, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), and polyamide. These materials continue to be the backbone of membrane technologies, owing to their well-established performance, durability, and cost-effectiveness. However, despite significant advancements in membrane technology, the industry remains heavily reliant on these materials, primarily due to their proven track record in various applications.<br/>The development of new industrial membranes presents several challenges beyond simply increasing flux and improving selectivity. One critical aspect is ensuring that membranes are compatible with standard cleaning methods, such as caustic and acid cleaning at elevated temperatures, which are commonly used in industrial settings. While these cleaning procedures are essential for maintaining membrane performance, they also contribute to a reduction in membrane lifespan, further complicating the development of more durable membranes.<br/>Moreover, membrane stability is essential to ensure that the new membranes developed can be used effectively in standard module configurations, such as spiral wound and hollow fiber systems, which are widely employed in large-scale applications. Another important consideration is ensuring compliance with stringent industrial standards, such as FDA regulations (CFR Title 21) for applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries, or Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 for materials and articles intended to come into contact with food. For drinking water applications, compliance with standards like NSF/ANSI 61 is critical to ensure safety and quality. However, apart from compliance, application knowledge is key. Understanding the specific requirements of different industrial processes and environments is crucial to tailoring membrane materials that can deliver the desired performance and longevity.<br/>In addition to these established challenges, new issues are emerging, such as the sustainability of membrane materials and the solvents used in their production. In Europe, the REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 plays a key role in regulating and phasing out hazardous chemicals, including solvents used in membrane manufacturing. This regulation aims to minimize the environmental and health risks associated with chemicals, ensuring that membrane production evolves in a more sustainable direction.<br/>The growing emphasis on sustainability is pushing the development of new, eco-friendly materials, alternative “green” solvents and new membrane production methods that can meet the performance demands of the industry while reducing their environmental impact. This shift is also influencing the need for innovations in membrane design, such as improving fouling resistance, enhancing the recyclability of membranes, and finding safer alternatives to toxic materials in membrane production.<br/>This presentation aims to provide a deeper understanding of these challenges, offering insights into the key factors impacting the development of next-generation membranes and encourages close collaboration between membrane and membrane application developers. <br/><br/>Acknowledgements <br/>The author would like to acknowledge the support of “Excellence Initiative – Research University” programme at the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun (Decision no. 78/2024/Mobility). <br/>}},
author = {{Lipnizki, Frank}},
keywords = {{Membranes; Membrane processes; Membrane production}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{05}},
pages = {{22--22}},
title = {{Challenges in developing industrial membranes}},
url = {{https://m3s.umk.pl/pliki/Abstract%20Book%203M3-S.pdf}},
year = {{2025}},
}