Hybrid and Multi-Functional Composite Membranes for Sustainable and Scalable Water Systems
A special issue of Membranes (ISSN 2077-0375). This special issue belongs to the section "Membrane Applications for Water Treatment".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 18
Special Issue Editor
2. Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Interests: membrane technology; water and wastewater treatment
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Low pressure-driven membrane processes remain a core technology in water treatment, but recent advances in composite, mixed-matrix, layered, and functionalized membranes have expanded their role far beyond conventional pretreatment. These new architectures enable improved antifouling and antibacterial performance, while also opening opportunities to remove emerging contaminants such as PFAS, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, heavy metals, and micro/nanoplastics. Increasingly, nanocomposite and hybrid membranes are being developed to combine selective separation with reactive or catalytic functions, creating materials that both capture and transform pollutants.
Alongside materials development, attention is shifting toward practical systems and limitations faced. Composite UF membranes are being integrated into hybrid processes—such as UF coupled with adsorption, photocatalysis, electrochemical treatment, or biological systems—and can be tested in pilot plants and industrial facilities..
We are pleased to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue of Membranes on "Hybrid and Multi-Functional Composite Membranes for Sustainable and Scalable Water Systems".
The aim of this Special Issue is to gather contributions on the design, performance, and/or translation of composite membranes across academic, industrial, and applied contexts. Submissions highlighting process optimization, pilot demonstrations, and case studies are also encouraged.
In this Special Issue, original research articles, reviews, and industry-focused studies are welcome. Topics include, but are not limited to:
- Development of composite, mixed-matrix, hybrid, layered, functionalized, or nanocomposite UF membranes.
- Removal of emerging contaminants such as PFAS, pharmaceuticals, nanoplastics, pesticides, and heavy metals.
- Reactive and hybrid membrane processes, combined with photocatalysis, adsorption, oxidation, electrochemical or bio-based treatments.
- Process optimization and scale-up, including long-term performance, fouling and cleaning strategies, and energy efficiency.
- Pilot-scale and industrial demonstrations, including desalination pretreatment, wastewater reuse, cooling water, food and beverage, power generation, and petrochemical effluents.
- Techno-economic and life-cycle assessments, bridging materials innovation with practical deployment and sustainability.
- Data-driven approaches: application of machine learning and artificial intelligence for composite membranes, including material discovery, fouling prediction, process optimization, and decision-making in industrial operation.
We look forward to receiving your contributions and to building a collection that highlights both novel membrane architectures and their translation into practical water systems.
Dr. Mariam Ouda
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Membranes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- functional membranes
- ultrafiltration
- advanced materials
- hybrid membrane processes
- techno-economic analysis
- antifouling
- wastewater reuse
- desalination pretreatment
- pilot-scale
- emerging contaminants (PFAS, nanoplastics, pharmaceuticals)
- sustainable water systems
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
