Application of Advanced Nanofiltration Membranes in Water Purification

Dear Colleagues,

Nanofiltration membranes have become an indispensable class of separation materials for water purification, offering a unique balance between permeability and selectivity. Since their early development for water softening and partial desalination, nanofiltration membranes have undergone rapid advancement driven by innovations in nanomaterials, polymer chemistry, and membrane fabrication techniques. The integration of functional nanomaterials—such as graphene oxide, metal–organic frameworks, carbon nanotubes, and bio-derived nanostructures—has significantly enhanced membrane performance, enabling improved contaminant rejection, fouling resistance, and operational stability. These developments have positioned advanced nanofiltration membranes as promising solutions for addressing global challenges related to water scarcity, emerging contaminants, and sustainable water reuse.

This Special Issue aims to highlight recent progress and emerging trends in the design, fabrication, characterization, and application of advanced nanofiltration membranes for water purification. The focus is on nanomaterial-enabled strategies that improve membrane functionality, selectivity, and long-term performance while reducing energy consumption and environmental impact. Contributions that bridge fundamental nanomaterials research with practical water treatment applications are particularly encouraged.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Nanomaterial-enhanced nanofiltration membranes and thin-film nanocomposites
• Bio-based and sustainable nanomaterials for membrane fabrication
• Transport mechanisms, charge effects, and selectivity at the nanoscale
• Fouling mitigation, chemical stability, and membrane durability
• Removal of emerging contaminants (e.g., PFAS, pharmaceuticals, microplastics)
• Hybrid nanofiltration systems and process integration
• Scale-up, techno-economic analysis, and life-cycle assessment
• Data-driven and AI-assisted membrane design and optimization

This Special Issue welcomes original research articles, comprehensive review papers, short communications, and perspectives that advance the understanding and application of nanomaterials in nanofiltration-based water purification systems.

Dr. Olawumi Oluwafolakemi Sadare
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nanomaterials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2400 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.