MEMBRANE TRANSPORT AND SELECTIVITY MECHANISMS

Understanding the fundamental mechanisms governing transport and selectivity is essential for improving membrane performance and achieving high-precision separation. Synthetic membranes with nano- and sub-nanometer pores play a critical role in water purification, energy storage, and chemical separations. However, their transport mechanisms remain poorly understood. Our research integrates experiments, theoretical modeling, and molecular simulations to investigate how solvents, solutes, and gases transport through nano- and sub-nanometer membrane pores. By uncovering the underlying principles of membrane transport, we establish design criteria for next-generation membranes with strategically engineered pore structures and finely tuned permeant-membrane interactions.

NEXT-GENERATION DESALINATION AND WATER PURIFICATION MEMBRANES

Water scarcity is one of the most pressing challenges of the 21st century, affecting approximately 4 billion people worldwide. To combat this challenge, advanced water purification technologies are crucially needed to produce drinking water from unconventional sources such as seawater, brackish groundwater, and wastewater. Membrane-based processes offer superior energy efficiency, reliability, and water quality compared to conventional methods. Central to these processes is the membrane itself. Through our research, we seek to fundamentally understand how material characteristics affect membrane performance under realistic process conditions, and to utilize this knowledge to design and fabricate next-generation membranes.

MEMBRANE BASED TECHNOLOGIES FOR BRINE AND WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT

We pioneer membrane-based technologies to tackle global water challenges through sustainable desalination and wastewater management. With reverse osmosis (RO) as the leading method for desalination, growing concerns around high salinity brine, rising energy demands, and environmental impacts drive our research. Our work focuses on membrane brine concentration (MBC) to improve water recovery, reduce energy consumption, and enable minimal or zero liquid discharge (M/ZLD), while turning waste brine into a resource. By advancing membrane materials and system designs, we aim to deliver scalable, efficient, and environmentally responsible solutions that support a more sustainable water future.