Journal
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
Volume 9, Issue 1, Pages 50-75Publisher
AMER CHEMICAL SOC
DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.0c07119
Keywords
Membrane technology; Biobased polymers; Green solvents; End-of-life management; Sustainability
Categories
Funding
- National Natural Science Foundation of China [51678377, 52070134]
- Sichuan University and Yibin City People's Government strategic cooperation project [2019CDYB-25]
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Although large-scale membrane technology has been widely implemented for around 40 years, its sustainability is low due to the reliance on nonbiodegradable petroleum-based polymers and hazardous solvents. To improve sustainability, biobased polymers and green solvents should replace traditional materials, while wastewater from membrane fabrication processes should be efficiently treated or recycled before discharge. Integration of artificial intelligence in membrane manufacturing processes can also enhance efficiency.
Large-scale membrane technology has been widely implemented and rapidly growing for roughly 40 years. However, considering its entire life cycle, there are aspects being characterized by low sustainability, and this industry certainly cannot be defined as green. In the membrane manufacturing process, raw materials mainly rely on nonbiodegradable petroleum-based polymers and hazardous solvents. These materials are thus associated with the energy crisis and with disposal burdens at the end of their lifetime, and they pose risks to workers and the environment. Therefore, biobased polymers and green solvents should be employed within the membrane preparation process and replace traditional ones. Moreover, the wastewater generated from membrane fabrication processes contains an important amount of organic solvents and should be efficiently treated or recycled before discharge. The application of artificial intelligence in membrane manufacturing and use processes can also improve efficiency significantly. Finally, a large number of spent membrane elements should also be reused and recovered, rather than landfilled. This review critically evaluates the recent advances in methods to improve the sustainability of membrane technology, specifically emphasizing the progresses made, with regard to the above aspects. This review thus analyzes the needs for membrane industry transformations in the light of circular economy.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available