Open and Reusable Membrane Science Data: A FAIR² Data Collection

Membrane science and technology generates rich, complex datasets — from permeability and selectivity measurements to fouling kinetics, electrochemical characterisation, and materials synthesis parameters. Yet much of this data remains siloed, inconsistently reported, or inaccessible beyond the original publication, limiting reproducibility and slowing progress across the field.

This Research Topic invites researchers to contribute FAIR² Data Articles — a dedicated article type that places the dataset at the centre of the publication. Each contribution presents a single, peer-reviewed dataset that is Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable, and AI-ready, hosted on an interactive FAIR² Data Portal with built-in visualisation tools, notebooks, and AI-assisted exploration.

We welcome datasets spanning the full breadth of membrane science, including but not limited to:

-- Membrane fabrication and structural characterisation data
-- Mass transfer, permeability, and selectivity performance datasets
-- Fouling, cleaning, and ageing studies
-- Ion transport and electrochemical membrane data
-- Environmental and industrial filtration datasets
-- Computational modelling inputs and outputs

All datasets are peer-reviewed to the same standard as traditional research articles, receive a DOI, and are published under an open data licence (ODC-BY 1.0), ensuring full citation credit and long-term preservation. This collection aligns with NIH, Horizon Europe, and UKRI funder mandates on research data sharing.

By contributing to this Research Topic, authors help build a community-curated, machine-readable membrane science data commons — accelerating discovery, enabling reanalysis, and driving the field toward greater openness and reproducibility.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Mini Review
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Mini Review
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review

Keywords: membrane science, open data, FAIR data, data sharing, membrane characterisation, mass transport, fouling, electrochemical membranes, reproducibility, research data management

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.