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        <title>Frontiers in Membrane Science and Technology | New and Recent Articles</title>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/membrane-science-and-technology</link>
        <description>RSS Feed for Frontiers in Membrane Science and Technology | New and Recent Articles</description>
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        <pubDate>2026-05-13T23:07:47.352+00:00</pubDate>
        <ttl>60</ttl>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2026.1812910</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2026.1812910</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Electrodeless reverse electrodialysis]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-22T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Perspective</category>
        <author>Joost Veerman</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This paper reviews existing applications of both electrodeless reverse electrodialysis (RED) generators and electrodialysis (ED) desalinators and introduces several novel conceptual designs. Reported applications include desalination through coupled ED–RED systems, transdermal drug delivery, and power supply for iontronic devices. Newly proposed concepts presented here for the first time include an acid/base generator, a preconcentration unit combining RED with assisted RED (ARED), and an alternating current RED generator. All these existing and proposed systems operate without electrodes and thus without faradaic reactions.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2026.1777137</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2026.1777137</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Structure-dependent CO2 separation in PEBAX membranes incorporating polystyrene nanoparticles: freestanding versus thin-film composite configurations]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-17T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Jun Seok Hwang</author><author>Young Jun Kim</author><author>Do Young Maeng</author><author>Dong Hyuk Shin</author><author>Jong Hak Kim</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Polystyrene (PS) nanoparticles are typically regarded as low-permeability fillers in gas separation membranes; however, this study demonstrates that their incorporation into PEBAX matrices can enhance both permeability and selectivity through configuration-dependent transport mechanisms. A systematic comparison between freestanding and thin-film composite (TFC) membranes reveals a clear shift in dominant gas transport behavior arising from structural differences. In ∼100 µm-thick freestanding membranes, PS nanoparticles act as bulk microstructural modifiers that partially disrupt crystalline packing, resulting in reduced crystallinity. This structural perturbation enhances chain mobility and increases the fractional free volume, enhancing gas diffusivity. At an optimal loading of 10 wt%, CO2 permeability and CO2/N2 selectivity simultaneously increased to 198.6 Barrer and 41.4 (54% and 31% improvements over pristine PEBAX), indicating partial mitigation of the permeability–selectivity trade-off through controlled free-volume enhancement. In contrast, ∼250 nm TFC membranes exhibit shear-assisted nanoparticle alignment and confinement within the ultrathin selective layer, producing an interfacial diffusion-controlled structure. While permeance remains relatively stable at moderate loadings, preferential suppression of N2 transport enhances selectivity, increasing CO2/N2 selectivity from 26 to 39 at 20 wt% PS with only minor permeance reduction. These findings demonstrate a mechanistic transition from bulk free-volume enhancement in freestanding membranes to interfacial diffusion control in TFC configurations, highlighting the critical role of nanoparticle organization in governing gas transport performance.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2026.1778324</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2026.1778324</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Advances in membrane-based helium recovery from natural gas: materials, process integration, and techno-economic perspectives]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-14T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Amirhossein Gorgi</author><author>Mohammad Mahdi Yousefi</author><author>Mostafa Jafari</author><author>Mojgan Abbasi</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Helium is a vital resource for applications like medical imaging, semiconductor manufacturing, aerospace systems, and low-temperature research. However, economically recoverable helium reserves are limited and increasingly come from natural gas streams with very low helium concentrations. Traditional helium recovery mainly relies on cryogenic separation, which can achieve very high purity but is costly and energy-intensive, especially when the helium content is below about 0.1 mol%. In such cases, membrane-based separation has gained interest as a feasible option for bulk pre-enrichment and integration into hybrid systems with cryogenic or adsorption units, while advanced PSA concepts (including DR-PSA) are also emerging as competitive non-cryogenic routes for selected feed windows. This review offers a connected assessment of membrane-assisted helium recovery from natural gas across four practical levels: separation fundamentals, emphasizing the partial-pressure-limited nature of dilute helium recovery and the need for mixed-gas validation under realistic impurity envelopes; membrane materials, including polymeric, carbon-based, inorganic, and mixed-matrix membranes, with attention to stability, defect control, and scale-up to modules; process integration, where multi-stage membrane cascades and membrane–cryogenic or membrane–PSA hybrids are evaluated as the most effective configurations for lean feeds; and techno-economic performance and technology readiness, highlighting how feed composition, utility availability, and intermediate enrichment targets govern feasibility. Overall, the literature indicates that membranes are most advantageous as pre-enrichment steps that reduce downstream refrigeration or adsorption duty, enabling cost-effective recovery for moderate helium levels and extending viability toward leaner feeds when deployed in optimized hybrid schemes. Key challenges remain long-term stability under CO2/H2S/water/heavy hydrocarbon exposure, robust module-scale manufacturing, and consistent integration of process, economic, and environmental metrics for fair cross-technology comparison.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2026.1766669</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2026.1766669</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Membrane-based extraction of critical materials from spent batteries and other mineral wastes]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-19T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Funeka Matebese</author><author>Mabore J. Raseala</author><author>Richard M. Moutloali</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The growing demand for critical materials such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese in electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, and advanced electronics has intensified the need for sustainable recovery strategies. Spent lithium-ion batteries, mineral tailings, and industrial by-products represent valuable secondary resources that can support circular economy objectives. However, conventional hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical processes are energy-intensive, chemically demanding, and often generate significant secondary waste, including sludge and saline effluents. Membrane-based separation technologies have emerged as promising alternatives due to their modular design, lower energy requirements, and potential for selective metal recovery. Pressure-driven processes, including ultrafiltration (UF), nanofiltration (NF), and reverse osmosis (RO), as well as electro-driven systems such as electrodialysis (ED), enable target separations (e.g., Li/Mg, Co/Ni, Li/Co-Ni-Mn) through size exclusion, charge-based selectivity, and ion-membrane interactions. Nevertheless, membrane performance in realistic leachates characterized by low pH, high ionic strength, oxidants, and complex metal speciation is strongly governed by chemistry-driven failure modes. These include inorganic scaling (e.g., gypsum and silica), metal hydroxide precipitation, colloidal and organic fouling, redox-induced instability, and polymer degradation, which collectively contribute to flux decline, selectivity loss, and reduced membrane lifetime. This review critically evaluates membrane applications for battery and mineral waste valorization, linking dominant failure mechanisms to solution chemistry and long-term stability. Techno-economic considerations are discussed using normalized metrics (kWh/m3, kWh/kg metal, $/kg product), highlighting conditions under which membranes can become cost-competitive with conventional extraction routes.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2026.1765275</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2026.1765275</link>
        <title><![CDATA[System dynamics modeling of membrane technology deployment in Australia]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-09T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Gavin Melles</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionNational Packaging Targets have mandated 70% plastic packaging recovery by 2025, yet recovery rates have stagnated at 24%–27%, despite voluntary commitments and $690 million in investment (2018–2024). Membrane technology offers the potential to process contaminated flexible plastics, but deployment economics remain uncertain.MethodsThis study developed a system dynamics model with eight interconnected feedback loops that govern Australia’s plastic packaging circular economy (2015–2040). The model distinguishes rigid (bottles, containers) from flexible (films, pouches) plastics, incorporates empirical cost structures ($800/tonne mechanical vs. $19,500/tonne membrane), and integrates policy levers (EPR, CDS, and elimination mandates). Historical validation against Australian Plastics Flows and Fates data (2015–2024) achieved <8% error. Five scenarios were simulated to 2040.ResultsModel validation reproduced voluntary approach failures and the REDcycle collapse. Scenario analysis reveals that attempting 70% recovery through universal processing (Scenario 3) costs $1.18 billion annually while achieving only 57% due to exponential cost escalation above 60%. An 80/15/5 strategy (Scenario 4) that eliminates 80% of unnecessary flexible formats achieves 68% recovery at $510 million annually—2.3 times cheaper with 11 percentage points higher recovery. Marginal costs remain under $25 million per percentage point with elimination versus over $50 million without.DiscussionThe flexible–rigid plastic divide is fundamental, not transitional. Rigid plastics exhibit profitable recycling activating growth loops, while flexible plastics face catastrophic losses, triggering constraint loops. Elimination costs $130 per tonne and saves $12.4 billion annually in avoided processing—a 150:1 cost–benefit ratio. EPR frameworks that enable elimination are essential; voluntary approaches have systematically failed.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2026.1753282</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2026.1753282</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Advanced strategies for designing the structure of lithium-selective membranes and its performance: a mini-review]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-02-06T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Mini Review</category>
        <author>Vasiliy Troitskiy</author><author>Maria Ponomar</author><author>Valentina Ruleva</author><author>Tatiana Butylskaia</author><author>Andrey Gorobchenko</author><author>Lasaad Dammak</author><author>Semyon Mareev</author><author>Mikhail Sharafan</author><author>Dmitrii Butylskii</author>
        <description><![CDATA[In recent years, the development of lithium-selective membranes (LSMs), among which the most widely used are ion-imprinted membranes (IIMs), lithium-ion sieve membranes (LISMs) and supported liquid membranes (SLMs), has attracted great interest due to the possibility of their use in direct lithium extraction (DLE) processes. This approach can be an alternative to the DLE sorption processes that are currently closest to commercialization. Although the efficiency of new LSMs has been widely discussed in original works and recent reviews, they are difficult to compare due to the different parameters used to estimate it. Fundamental principles of ion transport underlie the path to improved membrane performance. Success in membrane structure design on the way to its optimization are expressed by the «trade-off» effect: high selectivity of lithium extraction leads to low productivity. This mini-review presents the results of the analysis of recent studies in the field of design and testing of different types of lithium selective membranes. The performance and selectivity of the developed materials were evaluated using identical parameters: specific flux and selective ion separation coefficient. This facilitates an understanding of the path to improving LSMs and scaling it up for application in lithium extraction from brines and eluates of spent lithium-ion batteries.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2025.1733729</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2025.1733729</link>
        <title><![CDATA[A membrane fouling model based on pore adsorption]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-01-07T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Glen R. Bolton</author>
        <description><![CDATA[To fit complex experimental membrane fouling data, a model was derived that assumes foulant adsorption occurs due to a reaction between foulants and membrane pore surface area, reducing pore radius and increasing membrane resistance. The decline in pore radius was described by a reaction rate law involving a rate constant, pore area, and foulant concentration. The dependence of pore radius on time was inserted into the Hagen-Poiseuille law for flux to obtain explicit equations to predict flux, resistance, or volume versus time for different values of reaction orders with respect to pore area or foulant concentration. The model was extended to the case of multiple pore radii. Surprisingly, the new model can be reduced to the four classical fouling models, but adds the capability to fit a non-linear dependence on foulant concentration. The model was applied to flux versus time data from the literature using a range of BSA concentrations with hydrophobic and hydrophilic PVDF membranes, or PEG with hydrophilic PVDF membrane. The new model demonstrated the ability to fit a wider range of data than the four classical models using only two to four fitted parameters. This included data with a negative fouling index and data with a non-linear dependence on foulant concentration.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2025.1619459</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2025.1619459</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Economic assessment of real-time biofouling monitoring using SpectroMarine in a 100,000 m3/day SWRO plant in the gulf region]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-01-05T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Amr Mohamed Mahmoud</author><author>Ahmed S. AlGhamdi</author><author>Sultan Ahmed</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Biofouling is a significant operational challenge in seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination, particularly in biologically active environments like the Arabian Gulf. This study assesses the operational and economic impacts of implementing SpectroMarine, an autonomous real-time monitoring system, in a 100,000 m3/day SWRO facility. SpectroMarine leverages in-situ fluorescence and UV-visible absorbance measurements to detect early-stage biological activity in feedwater, enabling predictive maintenance and proactive fouling control. An economic model was constructed using literature-based operational baselines, including membrane lifespan, cleaning frequency, specific energy consumption, chemical dosing, and downtime. Implementation of SpectroMarine is projected to reduce energy consumption by 3%, cleaning-in-place (CIP) frequency by 50%, membrane replacement costs by 20%, and pretreatment chemical usage by 25%. Furthermore, unplanned downtime may be reduced by up to 50%. The model estimates annual savings of approximately 2.89 million SAR, with a payback period of less than 2 months under Gulf-specific operating conditions. The presented results are based on a literature-derived economic model incorporating sensitivity analysis, and no site-specific field validation has been conducted at this stage.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2025.1727515</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2025.1727515</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Membrane adsorbers for low-pressure metal ion capture]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-12-16T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Thomas McKean</author><author>Courtney Wilmoth</author><author>S. Ranil Wickramasinghe</author><author>Jamie Hestekin</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Heavy metal ions are notoriously difficult to remove from water systems without the infrastructure present at a drinking water treatment plant. This work aimed to develop membrane adsorbers capable of capturing heavy metals at low pressure to avoid the need for extensive infrastructure. Removal of copper as a representative heavy metal was investigated. Membrane adsorbers were fabricated by using photo-initiated radical polymerization to graft glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) from the surface of polyethersulfone microfiltration membranes. The GMA modified membrane was sulfonated through an epoxide ring opening reaction to introduce sulfonic acid groups. The effect of grafting time and temperature on the degree of grafting and membrane performance (permeability and adsorption capacity) were determined. The reactions conditions that provided best performance were 4 min UV exposure at 35 °C. Under these conditions, the degree of grafting was 9% while maintaining a low operating pressure of 0.1 bar. Five and 6 min of UV exposure time increased the DOG to 19% and 41%, respectively, but compromised low pressure operation. Membrane surface properties were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Membrane performance was investigated by determining membrane permeability and static and dynamic capacity. The dynamic binding capacity was 64.05 ± 0.6 mg Cu/g grafted weight. Using membranes in series demonstrated linear scaleup. Further at a flux of 135 Lm−2h−1 the feed pressure was under 0.15 bar ensuring low pressure operation. These results highlight the potential of membrane adsorbers for low pressure removal of heavy metals.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2025.1732112</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2025.1732112</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Solid-state oxygen separation from air using imidazolium-functionalized anion exchange membranes]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-12-12T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Manman Zhang</author><author>Anna Suslonova</author><author>Jinliu Zhong</author><author>Xuezhong He</author><author>Dario R. Dekel</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The energy-efficient extraction of oxygen directly from air remains a significant technological challenge. Anion-exchange membranes (AEMs) play a critical role in electrochemical systems due to their ability to provide high ionic conductivity and chemical stability, achieved through rational design of polymer backbones combined with functional cationic groups. In this study, we combine fuel cell and water electrolyzer electrodes to allow a unique electrochemical device to selectively extract oxygen from air. Specifically, we present a hydrophilic imidazolium group that was introduced as a “performance-assisting moiety” onto a poly (2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (PPO) backbone to fabricate novel AEMs. The resulting membranes exhibited controlled water uptake of 21.2%–53.7%, moderate swelling ratios of 3.5%–18.3% below 70 °C, and satisfactory thermal and mechanical stability. Selected AEMs that demonstrated moderate ionic conductivity and ion exchange capacity (IEC) were incorporated into an electrochemical anion exchange membrane oxygen separator (AEMOS). The resultant device can achieve a high current density of 109 mA cm-2, reflecting its strong potential for efficient oxygen separation. This work presents a promising solid‐state and electrolyte‐free strategy for oxygen extraction, which is expected to contribute to the development of sustainable oxygen generation technologies.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2025.1721100</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2025.1721100</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Editorial: Workshop - emerging separation technologies for water treatment and air filtration]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-11-24T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Editorial</category>
        <author>Abdoulaye Doucoure</author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2025.1688243</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2025.1688243</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Charged polymer membrane processing and its impact on membrane separation]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-11-05T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Kyoungmin Kim</author><author>Daniel T. Hallinan</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This review focuses on charged polymer membranes motivated by their growing importance in membrane-based separation technologies. Charged polymers have a long history in ion exchange chromatography, and thus charged polymer membranes are commonly termed ion-exchange membranes (IEMs). IEMs can be used in energy-efficient reverse osmosis desalination and are being studied for recovering valuable minerals from aqueous waste streams. Types of IEMs are first introduced, categorized by charge type, charge distribution and porosity. Synthesis of charged polymers is briefly discussed. Considerable attention is given to important membrane properties and methods for characterizing them. These properties include ion-exchange capacity (IEC), water content, structure, ionic conductivity, permeability, selectivity, and thermal and mechanical properties. A key challenge in membrane design is achieving high IEC, which is desired for high IEM selectivity. This is a challenge due to the high water uptake that accompanies high IEC. Relevant aspects of membrane structure include percolated ion channels, porous morphology and inert mechanical reinforcement phases. Membrane structure is essential in addressing the challenge of achieving high IEC and optimizing membrane performance. Structure is predominantly dictated by membrane processing. Thus, membrane processing methods, their benefits and drawbacks and their impact on structure are described in detail. These methods include solution casting, the paste method, extrusion, electrospinning, phase inversion, and an emerging method to form a composite IEM. Finally, specific IEM applications are discussed that hold great promise for circular economies. These applications include lithium extraction from battery waste, mining of desalination brine, and mineral recovery from semiconductor waste. A major driver for the growing interest in these applications is the demonstrated cost-effectiveness of membranes in commercial desalination. With on-going research advances, such success is probable in these extraction and recovery applications.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2025.1604508</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2025.1604508</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Circular economy (CE) implementation framework development and application to reverse osmosis (RO) membrane desalination systems]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-10-28T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Alexander R. Anim-Mensah</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The circular economy (CE) is gaining attention globally, given its potential to contribute significantly toward sustainable development. The demands for cleaner and safer water amid rising waterborne diseases and stringent environmental regulations are driving the need for reverse osmosis (RO) membrane desalination processes. RO membrane desalination processes are associated with extensive material and energy use, with resulting waste generation, and have ever-growing ecological footprints. Extensive theoretical knowledge on CE and sustainability exists, although it lacks the practical bridge to implementation. In this article, a structured and practical framework is developed and applied to an RO membrane desalination system. Features of this framework allowed breaking the RO membrane desalination system into phases of design (DP), manufacturing (MP), use (UP), and end-of-life (EoLP) and assessing it against both the 3R and 9R ladder strategic frameworks. The resulting CE and sustainability importance trend in the order of DP > MP > UP > EoLP allows for setting the initial implementation starting point, phase(s), or stage(s) for prioritization and maximization to overcome some of the initial implementation challenges. This opens the door for continuous improvements and incremental progress to take on an entire circular or sustainability project in the long term. CE broken into implementation clusters of circular business models (CBM), resource efficiency strategies (RES), and regenerative sustainability practices (RSP), assessed against each of DP, MP, UP, and EoLP phases, offered valuable insights into myriads of opportunities associated with RO membrane desalination system CE implementation. The framework provides step-by-step guidance to bridge the gap between CE and sustainability theoretical knowledge and practical implementations for industrial adoption to reap the countless opportunities.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2025.1681118</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2025.1681118</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Transport in perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) membranes: effects of pretreatment, side-chain length, and alkali metal cation]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-10-17T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Sebastian Castro</author><author>Dennis Ssekimpi</author><author>Youneng Tang</author><author>Daniel Hallinan</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This work investigates the effects of pretreatment, side-chain length, cation type, and the interplay between them on transport properties in the commercial PFSA membranes, Nafion 115 and Aquivion E98-09S. Solutions of 1M LiCl, NaCl, and KCl were used to measure permeability, water uptake, salt partitioning, and conductivity in these membranes. We find that membrane pretreatment can make a one or two order of magnitude difference in permeability and in turn shift the selectivity towards higher-mobility salts. Conversely, in the as-received state, the membranes have lower water contents and cation hydrated radius plays a greater role than ion mobility. This results in as-received membranes exhibiting selectivity for lithium over sodium. These findings challenge the paradigm established by the body of fuel cell literature, indicating that although pretreatment increases water uptake and ionic conductivity in PFSA membrane, it may not be beneficial in applications that require selective ion transport, such as for harvesting minerals from desalination brine or as separators in redox flow batteries. In other words, ion transport through membranes can be made significantly different from that in aqueous solution by minimizing water uptake so that membrane morphology plays a dominant role.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2025.1653220</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2025.1653220</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Polyethylene oxide rubbery organic framework (ROF) membranes with enhanced CO2 permeability and CO2/CH4 selectivity]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-09-19T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Mohamed Yahia</author><author>Luísa A. Neves</author><author>Lidietta Giorno</author><author>João Crespo</author><author>Mihail Barboiu</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Rubbery organic frameworks (ROFs), assembled via reversible covalent bonds under dynamic molecular control, represent a promising class of adaptive polymers for gas separation membranes. Elastomeric ROF membranes exhibit excellent mechanical stability, dynamic responsiveness, and intrinsic microporosity. Their affinity for carbon dioxide (CO2) enables both high CO2 permeability and enhanced selectivity compared to conventional glassy polymeric membranes. One effective strategy for improving CO2 separation performance is the incorporation of polyethylene oxide (PEO) units into the ROF structure. Owing to the high CO2 solubility and electrostatic interactions with PEO segments, this approach can significantly boost CO2 selectivity over other gases such as methane (CH4). In this study, a new class of PEO-based ROF membranes were developed and tailored by varying the length of PEO segments to optimize both mechanical strength and CO2/CH4 separation performance. The membranes were systematically characterized to understand the relationship between their molecular architecture, morphology, and gas transport properties. The resulting ROF membranes demonstrated CO2 permeabilities ranging from 155 to 180 barrer and CO2/CH4 selectivities between 15 and 31. Notably, a synergistic enhancement in both CO2 permeability and selectivity was observed with increasing PEO segment length. This improvement is attributed to a favorable balance of polymer chain packing, diffusivity, and CO2 affinity within the membrane matrix. These findings highlight the potential of PEO-integrated ROFs as versatile and high-performance materials for advanced gas separation applications.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2025.1691096</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2025.1691096</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Grand challenges in anion exchange membrane energy applications]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-09-11T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Specialty Grand Challenge</category>
        <author>Karam Yassin</author><author>Dario R. Dekel</author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2025.1638191</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2025.1638191</link>
        <title><![CDATA[A review on combined solar-membrane systems for wastewater treatment in Africa]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-08-29T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Mini Review</category>
        <author>Abdoul Wahab Nouhou Moussa</author><author>Adel Zrelli</author><author>Boukary Sawadogo</author><author>Rachida Chemini</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Africa’s growing water stress and energy access challenges necessitate sustainable wastewater treatment solutions. This review critically examines three emerging approaches: solar-based, membrane-based, and hybrid solar-membrane systems, across the African continent. Solar technologies, including solar water disinfection, photocatalysis, and advanced oxidation processes, demonstrate significant potential in sun-rich regions, achieving more than 90% pathogen and contaminant removal in decentralized settings. Membrane bioreactors (MBRs) and advanced filtration systems show robust performance in industrial applications, with 95%–99% pollutant rejection, though their energy demands remain a significant constraint. Hybrid solar-membrane systems synergize these advantages, as evidenced by case studies in Kenya (solar-MBR for aquaculture, 40% energy autonomy) and Namibia (solar-powered desalination, 99.7% salt rejection). Despite technological promise, adoption barriers persist, including high capital costs, technical capacity gaps, and policy fragmentation. This review analyze 32 implementations across 17 African countries, evaluating performance metrics, scalability, and socioeconomic viability. Key findings highlight the cost-effectiveness and sustainability gains from waste-derived membranes (e.g., geopolymers, recycled plastics, oasis waste), nanoparticle-enhanced photocatalysts (TiO2/MnO2), and modular system designs tailored to off-grid and resource-limited settings. The review concludes with policy recommendations to accelerate deployment. These include fostering decentralized systems in peri-urban and rural areas, promoting public-private partnerships to finance infrastructure, and supporting localized research to adapt technologies to diverse hydroclimatic and socio-economic conditions. Together, these approaches offer a viable pathway toward achieving SDG 6 and SDG 7 in Africa.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2025.1653159</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2025.1653159</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Comparison of batch and continuous operation modes for maxilon red azo dye removal using Chlorella vulgaris microalgae within photobioreactor (PBR) and a dynamic membrane photobioreactor (DMPBR)]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-08-21T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Shaghayegh Sadat Farastoon Dashti</author><author>Iman Ansari</author><author>Mir Mehrshad Emamshoushtari</author><author>Salar Helchi</author><author>Geoffroy Lesage</author><author>Marc Heran</author><author>Farshid Pajoum Shariati</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This study aimed to contrast the effectiveness of Chlorella vulgaris microalgae in decolorizing Maxilon Red, an azo-red dye typically found in textile wastewater. It contrasted the dye removal efficiency of two photobioreactor models, a conventional photobioreactor (PBR) and a dynamic membrane photobioreactor (DMPBR). Batch mode operation was used for the PBR, while the DMPBR was carried out continuously. The initial concentration of dye ranged from 5 to 30 mg L−1. Kinetic analysis was used to check the model that gave the best correlation, and isotherm studies were carried out to explain the adsorption mechanism. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to identify functional groups involved in binding with the dye. In the PBR, dye removal efficiency increased from 73% to 86% with a rise in initial dye concentration from 5 to 15 mg L−1, but decreased to 53% at 30 mg L−1 due to saturation phenomena. The Elovich model best represented the adsorption kinetics, indicating a heterogeneous surface and decreasing adsorption rate with time. Isotherm data also conformed to the Langmuir model, suggesting monolayer adsorption with a maximum of 8.16 mg g−1 capacity. FTIR confirmed the involvement of hydroxyl, carbonyl, and polysaccharide groups in dye binding. DMPBR, operated in continuous mode, achieved greater and constant removal efficiency of approximately 98% at 15 mg L−1 due to prolonged and uninterrupted contact between dye and biomass. The continuous DMPBR configuration overcame batch PBR saturation limitations, with enhanced biosorption activity, process stability, and improved effluent quality. Overall, the DMPBR was more efficient and sustainable in azo dye removal from wastewater than the traditional PBR.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2025.1647886</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2025.1647886</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Correction: Modeling pore wetting in direct contact membrane distillation—effect of interfacial capillary pressure]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-08-07T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Correction</category>
        <author>S. N. A. Ahmad</author><author>Takeshi Matsuura</author><author>Juhana Jaafar</author><author>L. Y. Jiang</author><author>A. F. Ismail</author><author>M. H. D. Othman</author><author>Mukhlis A. Rahman</author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2025.1552368</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frmst.2025.1552368</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Preparation of biodegradable membrane utilizing chitosan and polyvinyl alcohol, and assessment of its performance after coating with graphene conductive ink]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-08-06T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Sumit Maya Moreshwar Meshram</author><author>Prasad Gonugunta</author><author>Peyman Taheri</author><author>Ludovic Jourdin</author><author>Saket Pande</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Biodegradable membranes are crucial for environmental applications, offering sustainable and low-impact solutions. These membranes play a vital role in biodegradable batteries by separating the anode and cathode while facilitating proton movement. The aim of this study is to develop a biodegradable membrane using biodegradable polymers such as chitosan (CS) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), reinforced with filter paper. In this research, a cost effective, biodegradable membranes using CS, PVA, and a 1:1 CS/PVA composite through solution-casting method were synthesized. The membranes were reinforced with cellulose filter paper and coated with water-resistant graphene conductive ink. Performance metrics, including swelling ratios, water uptake, ion exchange capacity, oxygen diffusion, proton conductivity, and degradation in compost tea, were evaluated. Uncoated CS membrane exhibited the highest water uptake (94.10%), while uncoated PVA membrane demonstrated the highest swelling ratio (150%) and ion exchange capacity (3.94 meq/g). Coated CS/PVA membrane showed the lowest oxygen diffusion coefficient (0.058 × 10−5 cm2/s) and the highest proton conductivity (1.74 mS/cm). All membranes exhibited slow degradation over 100 days. The findings of this research have significant implications beyond the laboratory, presenting a biodegradable, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable alternative to conventional membranes. These membranes can be utilized in the construction of biobatteries, which, in turn, can be employed to power low-cost devices.]]></description>
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