Membrane technologies for clean water and critical raw materials

Our research connects interfacial and colloid science, chemical engineering, electrochemistry and data science. We investigate how membrane structure, surface properties and operating conditions govern separation performance.

Expertise

• Membrane transport characterisation, including multi-ion selectivity, concentration polarisation and the permeability–selectivity trade-off.

• Pressure-driven and electromembrane processes, including nanofiltration and diafiltration.

• Electrochemical treatment of organofluorine contaminants and integration with membrane separation.

• Experimental design, numerical simulation, chemometrics and machine learning.

• Laboratory testing supported by filtration equipment, electrokinetic analysis, porometry, electrochemical measurements and water analysis.

• We combine experiments with analytical theory and numerical models, working with physicists and data scientists to interpret results and guide process development.

Potential projects

• Selective recovery of critical metals from complex aqueous streams.

• Integrated membrane–electrochemical treatment of PFAS-contaminated water and concentrates.

• More efficient water treatment and reuse through improved membrane selection and operating strategies.

• Sustainable membrane materials evaluated against application-specific performance requirements.

• Data-informed monitoring and optimisation of membrane systems.

Our contribution

We could lead research tasks on membrane testing, transport analysis, process modelling or separation optimisation. Joint work should deliver measurable improvements in selectivity, resource recovery, energy demand or treatment performance, with a credible route towards practical use.