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Membranes
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Membranes for Selective Nano/Sub-nanometer Scale Mass Transport
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Membranes for Selective Nano/Sub-nanometer Scale Mass Transport

A special issue of Membranes (ISSN 2077-0375). This special issue belongs to the section "Membrane Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2023) | Viewed by 9452

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jie Shen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Division of Physical Science and Engineering (PSE), Advanced Membranes and Porous Materials Center (AMPM), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
Interests: membranes; two-dimensional materials; nanoporous materials; nanofluidics; molecular separation
Dr. Zongyao Zhou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Advanced Separations (LAS), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1950 Sion, Switzerland
Interests: polymer membranes; desalination; lithium extraction; ion separation; nanoporous materials
Dr. Sheng Zhou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Division of Physical Science and Engineering (PSE), Advanced Membranes and Porous Materials Center (AMPM), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
Interests: membranes; metal-organic frameworks; nanoporous materials; gas separation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite you contribute to the Special Issue of Membranes on selective nano/subnanometer-scale mass transport. Membranes/channels with a confined space featuring selective mass transport (for instance, gases, liquids, and ions) at the nano/subnanometer scale have attracted growing interest over the past decades. In particular, these channels have shown tremendous potential for applications in the fields of energy storage and conversion, chemical sensing, and molecular separation. However, their practical applications have continuously faced challenges with respect to efficiency, stability, and scalability. This Special Issue mainly focus on membranes/channels for molecular-scale discriminations between similarly sized molecules in gas and liquid mixtures or ions by attending to the most detailed features of nanomaterials, manufacturing technology, transport mechanisms, and membrane applications. Original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but not limited to) the following:

  • Polymer-based membranes
  • Nanoporous material membranes/channels, e.g., zeolites, MOFs, COFs, and related materials
  • One-dimensional (1D) tubes/channels, e.g., carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and 1D organic/inorganic channels
  • Two-dimensional channels/ membranes, e.g., graphene, graphene oxide, MoS2, MXene, and other 2D materials
  • Characterization and mechanism of membrane/channel formation
  • Transport mechanisms in nano/subnano confined space, modeling, and simulation
  • Gas/vapor separation, carbon capture
  • Liquid separation, water treatment
  • Energy related applications
  • Membrane reactors based on selective gas/vapor, liquid, or ion transport
  • Membrane modules and processes, membrane hybrid systems

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Jie Shen
Dr. Zongyao Zhou 
Dr. Sheng Zhou
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Membranes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • membranes/channels
  • transport mechanisms
  • nanomaterials
  • porous materials
  • molecular-level separation
  • membrane process

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 5947 KiB  
Article
Saline Retention and Permeability of Nanofiltration Membranes Versus Resistance and Capacitance as Obtained from Impedance Spectroscopy under a Concentration Gradient
by Miguel-Ángel Pérez, Silvia Gallego, Laura Palacio, Antonio Hernández, Pedro Prádanos and Francisco Javier Carmona
Membranes 2023, 13(6), 608; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes13060608 - 18 Jun 2023
Viewed by 1586
Abstract
Impedance spectroscopy has been widely used for the study of the electrical properties of membranes for their characterization. The most common use of this technique is the measure of the conductivity of different electrolyte solutions to study the behavior and movement of electrically [...] Read more.
Impedance spectroscopy has been widely used for the study of the electrical properties of membranes for their characterization. The most common use of this technique is the measure of the conductivity of different electrolyte solutions to study the behavior and movement of electrically charged particles inside the pores of membranes. The objective of this investigation was to observe if there is a relation present between the retention that a nanofiltration membrane possesses to certain electrolytic solutions (NaCl, KCl, MgCl2, CaCl2, and Na2SO4) and the parameters that are obtained through IS measurements of the active layer of the membrane. To achieve our objective, different characterization techniques were performed to obtain the permeability, retention, and zeta potential values of a Desal-HL nanofiltration membrane. Impedance spectroscopy measurements were performed when a gradient concentration was present between both sides of the membrane to study the variation that the electrical parameters had with the time evolution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Membranes for Selective Nano/Sub-nanometer Scale Mass Transport)
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21 pages, 3566 KiB  
Article
A Mathematical Simulation of Copper and Nickel Ions Separation Using Prepared Nanocellulose Material
by Saad Aljlil
Membranes 2023, 13(4), 381; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes13040381 - 27 Mar 2023
Viewed by 1359
Abstract
Environmental risks can arise from the existence of heavy metals in wastewater and their land disposal. To address this concern, a mathematical technique is introduced in this article that enables the anticipation of breakthrough curves and the imitation of copper and nickel ion [...] Read more.
Environmental risks can arise from the existence of heavy metals in wastewater and their land disposal. To address this concern, a mathematical technique is introduced in this article that enables the anticipation of breakthrough curves and the imitation of copper and nickel ion separation onto nanocellulose in a fixed-bed system. The mathematical model is based on mass balances for copper and nickel and partial differential equations for pore diffusion in a fixed bed. The study evaluates the impact of experimental parameters such as bed height and initial concentration on the shape of the breakthrough curves. At 20 °C, the maximum adsorption capacities for copper and nickel ions on nanocellulose were 5.7 mg/g and 5 mg/g, respectively. The breakthrough point decreased with increasing solution concentration at higher bed heights, while at an initial concentration of 20 mg/L, the breakthrough point increased with bed height. The fixed-bed pore diffusion model showed excellent agreement with the experimental data. The use of this mathematical approach can help alleviate the environmental hazards that arise from the presence of heavy metals in wastewater. The study highlights the potential of nanocellulose as a material for membrane technology, which can effectively address these risks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Membranes for Selective Nano/Sub-nanometer Scale Mass Transport)
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16 pages, 4683 KiB  
Article
Simultaneous Production of Aromatics and COx-Free Hydrogen via Methane Dehydroaromatization in Membrane Reactors: A Simulation Study
by Feng Ye, Shuanshi Fan, Wenjun Li, Yanhong Wang, Xuemei Lang, Jianli Zhang, Jing Li and Gang Li
Membranes 2022, 12(12), 1175; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes12121175 - 22 Nov 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1362
Abstract
As an alternative route for aromatics and hydrogen production, methane dehydroaromatization (MDA) is of significant academic and industrial interest due to the abundance of natural gas resources and the intensive demand for aromatics and COx-free hydrogen. In the present work, a [...] Read more.
As an alternative route for aromatics and hydrogen production, methane dehydroaromatization (MDA) is of significant academic and industrial interest due to the abundance of natural gas resources and the intensive demand for aromatics and COx-free hydrogen. In the present work, a simulation study on MDA in membrane reactors (MRs) was performed with the aim of co-producing aromatics and COx-free hydrogen with a highly improved efficiency. The effects of various parameters, including catalytic activity, membrane flux and selectivity, as well as the operating conditions on the MR performance were discussed with respect to methane conversion, hydrogen yield, and hydrogen purity. The results show that catalytic activity and membrane flux and selectivity have significant impacts on CH4 conversion and H2 yield, whereas H2 purity is mainly dominated by membrane selectivity. A highly improved MDA is confirmed to be feasible at a relatively low temperature and a high feed pressure because of the hydrogen extraction effect. To further improve MDA in MRs by intensifying H2 extraction, a simple configuration combining a fixed-bed reactor (FBR) and an MR together is proposed for MDA, which demonstrates good potential for the high-efficiency co-production of aromatics and COx-free hydrogen. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Membranes for Selective Nano/Sub-nanometer Scale Mass Transport)
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14 pages, 9312 KiB  
Article
One-Step Synthesis of Ultrathin Zeolitic Imidazole Framework-8 (ZIF-8) Membrane on Unmodified Porous Support via Electrophoretic Deposition
by Yufan Ji, Yuyang Song, Yiping Huang, Hao Zhu, Changhai Yue, Fujian Liu and Jing Zhao
Membranes 2022, 12(11), 1062; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes12111062 - 28 Oct 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1969
Abstract
Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are regarded as the next-generation, disruptive membrane materials, yet the straightforward fabrication of ultrathin MOF membranes on an unmodified porous support remains a critical challenge. In this work, we proposed a facile, one-step electrophoretic deposition (EPD) method for the growth [...] Read more.
Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are regarded as the next-generation, disruptive membrane materials, yet the straightforward fabrication of ultrathin MOF membranes on an unmodified porous support remains a critical challenge. In this work, we proposed a facile, one-step electrophoretic deposition (EPD) method for the growth of ultrathin zeolitic imidazole framework-8 (ZIF-8) membranes on a bare porous support. The crystallinity, morphology and coverage of ZIF-8 particles on support surface can be optimized via regulating EPD parameters, yet it is still difficult to ensure the integrity of a ZIF-8 membrane with the constant voltage mode. In contrast, the constant current mode is more beneficial to the growth of a defect-free ZIF-8 membrane due to the steady migration rate of colloid particles toward the electrode. With a current of 0.65 mA/cm2 and deposition time of 60 min, a 300 nm thick ZIF-8 membrane was obtained, which exhibits a CO2 permeance of 334 GPU and a CO2/CH4 separation factor of 8.8, evidencing the defect-free structure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Membranes for Selective Nano/Sub-nanometer Scale Mass Transport)
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13 pages, 3414 KiB  
Article
Highly Strong and Damage-Resistant Natural Rubber Membrane via Self-Assembly and Construction of Double Network
by Heliang Wang, Fanrong Meng, Mingyuan Yi, Lin Fang, Zhifen Wang and Shoujuan Wang
Membranes 2022, 12(10), 933; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes12100933 - 26 Sep 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1936
Abstract
Natural rubber latex (NRL) is commonly employed to manufacture medical protective appliances. However, the characteristics of weakness and fragility of NRL membranes limit their further application. To achieve excellent strength and damage-resistance of the rubber membrane, this work reported a facile core–shell structure [...] Read more.
Natural rubber latex (NRL) is commonly employed to manufacture medical protective appliances. However, the characteristics of weakness and fragility of NRL membranes limit their further application. To achieve excellent strength and damage-resistance of the rubber membrane, this work reported a facile core–shell structure construction strategy via self-assembly with modified sodium lignosulfonate (MSLS) and NRL to create a tough membrane. The double network can be formed after introducing polyamide epichlorohydrin resin (PAE) into the NRL membrane. Specifically, the first robust MSLS-PAE network can break in advance to dissipate applied energy, thereby achieving high fracture energy and tensile strength of ~111.51 kJ m−2 and ~37 MPa, respectively, which overtakes numerous soft materials. This work facilitates more studies on latex/lignin-based products with high performance and good stability for the functional application of biopolymer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Membranes for Selective Nano/Sub-nanometer Scale Mass Transport)
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