Membrane Breakthrough
Philadelphia, PA — There have been many recent breakthroughs in membrane technology.
Researchers at the University of Texas and Virginia Tech University have been working on desalination technology. The research team has discovered a way to use a chlorine-tolerant membrane that would significantly reduce the cost of desalination making fresh water more readily available for drought stricken areas. With sea levels expected to rise, there will also be more communities that face salt water intrusion.
On the energy front, several companies are claiming breakthroughs in membrane polymers for fuel cells. Electrolyser membranes take H2O and separates the hydrogen from the oxygen. In a fuel cell, the membrane separates hydrogen protons from electrons which produces electrical current. If the technology proves true, hydrogen power from water could become an economic reality.
