| Membrane Filtration: Pressure-driven fluid flow through a permeable material occurs in such diverse applications as filtration, aeration, sparging, foaming, membrane reactors, irrigation, transpiration cooling, and medical devices. We study many aspects of filtration from a fundamental standpoint, with particular interest in water purification. Current research focuses on molecular level simulations of nanofiltration membranes. The image to the left and video below show water molecules (small red dots) and sodium ions (yellow beads) moving from left to right through a nanofiltration membrane (gray) that has charged carboxylate end groups (red beads). Previous research focused on using Taylor Couette flow for dynamic filtration. This work led us to develop a unique device for reverse osmosis filtration that resists fouling that has been tested by NASA for possible use in the manned mission to Mars. We also developed methods for determining sub-nanometer pore sizes and for predicting rejection of organic and inorganic molecules by nanofiltration and reverse osmosis membranes, as well as investigated photoreactive filtration systems using nanoparticle-nanotube composites. See publications here. |