Hydrology: Current Research

Novel Membrane Materials for Reverse Osmosis Desalination

Abstract

Concepción Calvo, Alfonso Rodríguez-Calvo, Gloria Andrea Silva-Castro, Francisco Osorio, and Jesús González-López

The use of solvents in desalination processes limits the use of certain materials in the construction of the reverse osmosis membranes. Therefore now the research effort has focused on improving new materials. In particular, nanostructured materials will probably form the basis for new reverse osmosis membrane materials. This study makes a review of the new materials used for the construction of reverse osmosis membranes, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages that each of them gives to the desalination process. Firstly inorganic membranes, made mainly from zeolites, offer higher tolerance to a variety of feed waters and harsh cleaning methods. Secondly, two carbonderived materials as carbon nanotubes, exhibit high permeability and high rejection rate, and graphene, with high breaking strength and impermeability to molecules as small standard gases. Finally, a novel concept of membranes called Mixed Matrix Membrane (MMM) which combines organic and inorganic material and the benefits of each one.