Desalination Breakthrough - 30%-40% better RO Membranes

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SUMMARY

The recent breakthrough in desalination technology reveals that thicker reverse osmosis (RO) membranes can enhance performance by 30%-40%. Researchers from the University of Texas identified that inconsistencies in density and mass distribution within membranes hinder their efficiency. Achieving uniform density at the nanoscale is crucial for maximizing clean water production from these membranes. This advancement promises to significantly reduce costs associated with water filtration.

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  • Understanding of reverse osmosis (RO) technology
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  • Basic principles of desalination methods
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  • Explore the impact of membrane density on filtration efficiency
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Researchers in water treatment, engineers specializing in membrane technology, and environmental scientists focused on sustainable water solutions will benefit from this discussion.

Tom.G
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Turns out that thicker membranes work better, now they know why.

The researchers determined desalination membranes are inconsistent in density and mass distribution, which can hold back their performance. Uniform density at the nanoscale is the key to increasing how much clean water these membranes can create.

Short article from Univ. of Texas researchers:
https://news.utexas.edu/2020/12/31/desalination-breakthrough-could-lead-to-cheaper-water-filtration/

Technical article in Science Magazine but it's behind a paywall: :cry:
https://science.sciencemag.org/content/371/6524/72
(DOI: 10.1126/science.abb8518)

Cheers,
Tom
 
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