This $450,000 National Science Foundation project grant will fund research into ion transport and selectivity in salt-rejecting polymer membranes operating under elevated salinities and pressures. The grant was awarded on August 1, 2022 to The Regents of the University of Colorado, with completion scheduled for July 31, 2025.
The project aims to investigate using polymer membranes to treat extremely salty wastewaters from desalination and oil/gas production in a way that uses less than 10% of the energy of conventional thermal systems. Novel experiments and molecular simulations will provide insights into membrane performance under high salt and pressure conditions to inform development of membranes tailored for high-salinity brine treatment. Outreach and education components include international collaboration, guest lectures, and materials to engage underrepresented students and high schoolers in water scarcity challenges. Overall, the research seeks to elucidate ion transport mechanisms in membranes and design recommendations to improve water-salt selectivity at elevated operating conditions. The funding falls under the NSF Engineering Directorate's program supporting innovation and excellence in engineering research and education.
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