Organic Solvent Nanofiltration

Dear Colleagues,

Organic solvent resistant nanofiltration, known also as solvent resistant nanofiltration (SRNF), organophilic nanofiltration, or, most commonly, as organic solvent nanofiltration (OSN), is a relatively new membrane process, with the first commercial membranes and applications being from around 1990. OSN has grown in importance and application rapidly since then, as it has facilitated the molecular separations of a wide range of molecules in the molar mass range of 100–2000 g mol^-1 in solvents not previously possible. This has opened the window of opportunity of applying membrane separations to a wide range of industries and application previously not possible for membranes in the pharma, fine chemical and petrochemical industries currently including: The recovery and recycle of homogenous catalysts from organic solvents; solvent and oil exchange, recovery and purification; solute (including pharma API) purification and enrichment; impurity removal; chemical synthesis through isolation of reagents and/or breaking of equilibrium(s); membrane assisted crystallisation and evaporation and more. The future looks bright for OSN, with the types of membranes used for OSN becoming ever more diverse: Ranging from polymers, ceramics and mixed matrix/hybrids. This in turn is allowing a wider range of solvents and solutes to be separated and thereby enabling an expanding number of new applications and membrane processes incorporating OSN to be developed.

Consequently this Special Issue is a timely and much needed consolidation and collection of the latest developments in this growing and important research area in membranes. This Special Issue of Membranes welcomes works related to the topic of organic solvent resistant nanofiltration membranes. Both original contributions and reviews on recent advances in the wider area of organic solvent nanofiltration membranes, including (but not limited to) materials and synthesis methods for making these membranes (all materials and types are welcome, including polymer, ceramic, mixed matrix/hybrid), characterisation and analysis of these membranes and their applications in various fields are encouraged and greatly welcome.

Dr. Darrell Patterson
Dr. Salman Shahid
Dr. Nicholas Low
Dr. Kim Wu
Dr. Junjie Shen
Guest Editors

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