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Membranes
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Recent Advances in Polymeric Membranes—Preparation and Applications
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Recent Advances in Polymeric Membranes—Preparation and Applications

A special issue of Membranes (ISSN 2077-0375). This special issue belongs to the section "Membrane Fabrication and Characterization".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 July 2025 | Viewed by 6606

Special Issue Editors

Dr. María Ortencia González-Díaz

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán A.C., Mérida 97205, Mexico
Interests: synthesis of functionalized block copolymers and their application as catalytic membranes; synthesis of Biobased polymers and recycling and reuse of polymers for circular economy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Manuel Aguilar Vega

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Materials Unit, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán A.C., Merida 97205, Mexico
Interests: development of membranes for natural gas sweetening and production of high-value streams; membrane system for improved water desalination systems NF and RO; ionic membranes for fuel cell membranes and energy applications; membranes; gas separation; water treatment; ionic membranes
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Over the years, polymeric membrane technology has received significant attention due to its advantages, such as ease of operation, energy saving capability, compact size, environmental friendliness, and multiple applications. Polymeric membranes can be prepared by a wide variety of techniques and with several configurations depending on their applications. The development of new polymeric materials and the growing number of applications demands the development of better-suited membranes with different characteristics or new composite membranes and methods of preparation, as well as new funtionalization methods.

This Special Issue will highlight the most recent and applicable achievements regarding the preparation, modification, and performance of polymeric membranes for water treatment, energy savings and /or energy storage, gas separation, and membranes for biomedical applications.

Dr. María Ortencia González-Díaz
Dr. Manuel Aguilar Vega
Guest Editors

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

  • polymeric membranes
  • water treatment
  • gas separation and membranes for biomedical applications
  • energy savings

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 4706 KiB  
Article
Quaternized Polysulfone as a Solid Polymer Electrolyte Membrane with High Ionic Conductivity for All-Solid-State Zn-Air Batteries
by Luis Javier Salazar-Gastélum, Alejandro Arredondo-Espínola, Sergio Pérez-Sicairos, Lorena Álvarez-Contreras, Noé Arjona and Minerva Guerra-Balcázar
Membranes 2025, 15(4), 102; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes15040102 - 1 Apr 2025
Viewed by 1036
Abstract
Solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) are gaining attention as viable alternatives to traditional aqueous electrolytes in zinc–air batteries (ZABs), owing to their enhanced performance and stability. In this study, anion-exchange solid polymer electrolytes (A-SPEs) were synthesized via electrophilic aromatic substitution and substitution reactions. Thin [...] Read more.
Solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) are gaining attention as viable alternatives to traditional aqueous electrolytes in zinc–air batteries (ZABs), owing to their enhanced performance and stability. In this study, anion-exchange solid polymer electrolytes (A-SPEs) were synthesized via electrophilic aromatic substitution and substitution reactions. Thin films were prepared using the solvent casting method and characterized using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H-NMR), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The ion-exchange capacity (IEC), KOH uptake, ionic conductivity, and battery performance were also obtained by varying the degree of functionalization of the A-SPEs (30 and 120%, denoted as PSf30/PSf120, respectively). The IEC analysis revealed that PSf120 exhibited a higher quantity of functional groups, enhancing its hydroxide conductivity, which reached a value of 22.19 mS cm−1. In addition, PSf120 demonstrated a higher power density (70 vs. 50 mW cm−2) and rechargeability than benchmarked Fumapem FAA-3-50 A-SPE. Postmortem analysis further confirmed the lower formation of ZnO for PSf120, indicating the improved stability and reduced passivation of the zinc electrode. Therefore, this type of A-SPE could improve the performance and rechargeability of all-solid-state ZABs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Polymeric Membranes—Preparation and Applications)
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27 pages, 30466 KiB  
Article
Electrospun Membranes Loaded with Melanin Derived from Pecan Nutshell (Carya illinoinensis) Residues for Skin-Care Applications
by Michell García-García, Jesús Salvador Jaime-Ferrer, Fernanda Nayeli Medrano-Lango, Elizabeth Quintana-Rodríguez, Tonatiu Campos-García, Erika Rodríguez-Sevilla and Domancar Orona-Tamayo
Membranes 2025, 15(2), 44; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes15020044 - 3 Feb 2025
Viewed by 1851
Abstract
This study investigates the incorporation of melanin extracted from pecan nutshell residues into a polyacrylonitrile (PAN) matrix during the electrospinning of microfiber membranes. Melanin concentrations of 0.5, 2.0, and 5.0% w/w were incorporated to enhance the physicochemical and biological properties of [...] Read more.
This study investigates the incorporation of melanin extracted from pecan nutshell residues into a polyacrylonitrile (PAN) matrix during the electrospinning of microfiber membranes. Melanin concentrations of 0.5, 2.0, and 5.0% w/w were incorporated to enhance the physicochemical and biological properties of the fibers. The melanin-loaded PAN fibers exhibited significant antioxidant activity against DPPH and ABTS radicals, with scavenging rates ranging from 46.58% to 62.77% and 41.02% to 82.36%, respectively, while unmodified PAN fibers showed no activity. Furthermore, the melanin-loaded membranes demonstrated antimicrobial effects. The membranes also exhibited an important enzyme inhibition activity against collagenase (37%), hyaluronidase (22%), tyrosinase (36%), and elastase (33%). Molecular docking studies reveal different potential amino acids of the active sites of aging enzymes that interact strongly with melanin pigment, particularly collagenase, followed by hyaluronidase, tyrosinase, and elastase. These results suggest that the novel melanin-loaded PAN membranes possess promising bioactive properties with potential applications in different skin-care applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Polymeric Membranes—Preparation and Applications)
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13 pages, 1960 KiB  
Article
Asymmetric Membranes Obtained from Sulfonated HIPS Waste with Potential Application in Wastewater Treatment
by Marcial Alfredo Yam-Cervantes, Rita Sulub-Sulub, Mauricio Hunh-Ibarra, Santiago Duarte, Erik Uc-Fernandez, Daniel Pérez-Canales, Manuel Aguilar-Vega and Maria Ortencia González-Díaz
Membranes 2024, 14(12), 247; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes14120247 - 22 Nov 2024
Viewed by 1158
Abstract
The recovery and reuse of high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) into high-value products is crucial for reducing environmental thermoplastics waste and promoting sustainable materials for various applications. In this study, asymmetric membranes obtained from sulfonated HIPS waste were used for salt and dye removals. The [...] Read more.
The recovery and reuse of high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) into high-value products is crucial for reducing environmental thermoplastics waste and promoting sustainable materials for various applications. In this study, asymmetric membranes obtained from sulfonated HIPS waste were used for salt and dye removals. The incorporation of sulfonic acid (-SO3H) groups into HIPS waste by direct chemical sulfonation with chlorosulfonic acid (CSA), at two different concentrations, was investigated to impart antifouling properties in membranes for water treatment. Asymmetric membranes from recycled HIPS, R-HIPS, R-HIPS-3, and R-HIPS-5 with 3 and 5% sulfonation degrees, respectively. Sulfonated HIPS shows a decrease in water contact angle (WCA) from 83.8° for recycled R-HIPS to 66.1° for R-HIPS-5, respectively. A WCA decrease leads to an increase in antifouling properties for R-HIPS-5, compared to non-sulfonated R-HIPS, which leads to a higher flux recovery ratio (FRR) and enhanced separation properties for sulfonated membranes. The HIPS-5 membrane exhibited the highest rejection rates for Reactive Black 5 dye (94%) and divalent salts (72% for MgSO4 and 67% for Na2SO4). The performance of the recycled HIPS asymmetric membranes is well correlated with porosity, water uptake, and the higher negative charge from the sulfonic acid groups present, which enhance the electrostatic repulsions of salts and dyes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Polymeric Membranes—Preparation and Applications)
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Review

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32 pages, 1900 KiB  
Review
Development and Investigation of a New Polysulfone Dialyzer with Increased Membrane Hydrophilicity
by Adam M. Zawada, Bettina Griesshaber, Bertram Ottillinger, Ansgar Erlenkötter, Nathan Crook, Skyler Boyington, Manuela Stauss-Grabo, James P. Kennedy and Thomas Lang
Membranes 2025, 15(5), 132; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes15050132 - 30 Apr 2025
Viewed by 561
Abstract
Innovation in dialysis care is fundamental to improve well-being and outcomes of patients with end-stage kidney disease. The dialyzer is the core element of dialysis treatments, as it largely defines which substances are removed from the patient’s body. Moreover, its large surface size [...] Read more.
Innovation in dialysis care is fundamental to improve well-being and outcomes of patients with end-stage kidney disease. The dialyzer is the core element of dialysis treatments, as it largely defines which substances are removed from the patient’s body. Moreover, its large surface size is the major place of interaction of the patient’s blood with artificial surfaces and thus may lead to undesired effects such as inflammation or coagulation. In the present article we summarize the development path for a new dialyzer, including in vitro and clinical evidence generation. We use the example of the novel FX CorAL dialyzer, which has recently entered European and US markets, to show which steps are needed to develop and characterize a new dialyzer. The FX CorAL dialyzer includes a new hydrophilic membrane, which features reduced protein adsorption, sustained performance, and an improved hemocompatibility profile, characterized in numerous in vitro and clinical studies. Safety evaluations revealed a favorable profile, with low incidences of adverse device effects. Insights gained from both in vitro and clinical studies contribute to the advancement of dialyzer development, ultimately leading to improved patient care. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Polymeric Membranes—Preparation and Applications)
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24 pages, 1362 KiB  
Review
Pressure-Driven Membrane Processes for Removing Microplastics
by Priscila Edinger Pinto, Alexandre Giacobbo, Gabriel Maciel de Almeida, Marco Antônio Siqueira Rodrigues and Andréa Moura Bernardes
Membranes 2025, 15(3), 81; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes15030081 - 5 Mar 2025
Viewed by 1418
Abstract
The intense consumption of polymeric materials combined with poor waste management results in the dissemination of their fragments in the environment as micro- and nanoplastics. They are easily dispersed in stormwater, wastewater, and landfill leachate and carried towards rivers, lakes, and oceans, causing [...] Read more.
The intense consumption of polymeric materials combined with poor waste management results in the dissemination of their fragments in the environment as micro- and nanoplastics. They are easily dispersed in stormwater, wastewater, and landfill leachate and carried towards rivers, lakes, and oceans, causing their contamination. In aqueous matrices, the use of membrane separation processes has stood out for the efficiency of removing these particulate contaminants, achieving removals of up to 100%. For this review article, we researched the removal of microplastics and nanoplastics by membrane processes whose driving force is the pressure gradient. The analysis focuses on the challenges found in the operation of microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, and reverse-osmosis systems, as well as on the innovations applied to the membranes, with comparisons of treatment systems and the peculiarities of each system and each aqueous matrix. We also point out weaknesses and opportunities for future studies so that these techniques, known to be capable of removing many other contaminants of emerging concern, can subsequently be widely applied in the removal of micro- and nanoplastics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Polymeric Membranes—Preparation and Applications)
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