12-31-2020
By
Earth.com staff writer
Breakthrough may greatly improve the production of clean water. In a new study led by the University of Texas at Austin, experts have had a breakthrough that may help produce clean drinking water at a lower cost. The researchers solved a complex problem that has baffled scientists for decades.
Desalination membranes remove salt and other chemicals from water, cleaning billions of gallons of water for agriculture. While the concept seems simple, the process of desalination is actually very complex and not well understood.
In collaboration with DuPont Water Solutions, the researchers have solved an important aspect of this mystery, opening the door to reduce costs of clean water production.
Researchers discover new insights into how water filter membranes work
Shane McGlaun - Jan 1, 2021, 6:03am CST
Scientists have known for years that membranes can do things such as act as a filter for saltwater. When salty ocean water is moved through a membrane, clean water comes out the other side that can be used for agriculture and drinking, among other things. While pushing water through a membrane is a simple enough process, the exact method that allowed water filtration membranes to work was unknown until now.
A group of researchers, including scientists from Penn State, the University of Texas at Austin, Iowa State University, Dow Chemical Company, and DuPont Water Solutions, have now published a study showing key findings and how membranes filter minerals from water. Researcher Enrique Gomez, professor of chemical engineering and materials science and engineering at Penn State, research lead, says that the team found that how the density distribution of
Biological membranes can achieve remarkably high permeabilities while maintaining ideal selectivities by relying on homogeneous internal structures in the form of membrane proteins. In new research, a team of scientists led by Penn State University and the University of Texas at Austin applied such design strategies to desalination polyamide membranes.
This 3D model of a polymer desalination membrane shows water avoiding dense spots in the membrane and slowing flow; red above the membrane shows water under higher pressure and with higher concentrations of salt; the gold, granular, sponge-like structure in the middle shows denser and less-dense areas within the salt-stopping membrane; silver channels show how water flows through; and the blue at the bottom shows water under lower pressure and with lower concentrations of salt. Image credit: Ganapathysubramanian Research Group / Iowa State University / Gregory Foss, Texas Advanced Computing Center.
Paper co-author Kaitlin Brickey, a Penn State graduate student in chemical engineering, stands in front of the scanning electron microscope that allowed researchers to examine how dense pockets in membranes could hinder efficient water filtration efforts. (Credit: Tyler Henderson/Penn State)
(CN) A major advancement in water filtration technology revealed Thursday may lead to lower water prices and greater availability throughout otherwise dry areas of the globe.
The vast majority of water on Earth is found in oceans, so lowering the cost of filtering seawater could dramatically improve the quality of life for people living in regions without much rainfall or groundwater.
Scientists figure out how to make desalination membranes more efficient
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A new analysis showed membranes with greater density uniformity were able to more efficiently desalinate and purify water. Photo by Enrique Gomez/Penn State
Dec. 31 (UPI) Desalination membranes are used around the world to to remove salt and other chemicals from water, yielding vital water for both agriculture and human consumption.
Despite their widespread deployment, scientists have struggled to identify the material characteristics that influence the efficiency of desalination membranes.
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The latest research, published Wednesday in the journal Science, showed most current membranes featured highly variable densities, reducing their efficiency.