Membranes technologies for chemical processes to produce clean water and energy, biofuel and pharmaceutics

Abstract

Clean energy and water shortage, affordable healthcare and global warming are four major concerns globally resulting from resource depletion, record high oil prices, clean water shortages, high costs of pharmaceuticals, and changing climate conditions. Among many potential solutions, advance in membrane technology is one of the most direct, effective and feasible approaches to solve these sophisticated issues for chemical industries. Membrane technology is a fully integrated science and engineering which consists of materials science and engineering, chemistry and chemical engineering, separation and purification phenomena, statistical mechanics-based molecular simulation, process and product design. We will cover several areas such as: 1. The basic principle of membrane formation 2. Membranes in chemical processes for energy development (CH4, H2 and biofuel) and CO2 capture 3. Membranes in chemical processes for emerging desalination technologies: forward osmosis and membrane distillation 4. Membranes for pharmaceutical separation and life science.