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Open research questions in Membrane Separation Technologies

142 gap statements mined from Membrane Separation Technologies papers in our 4.5M-paper local library, which holds 3,227 papers on the topic — drawn mostly from each paper's own stated research gap, future-work, challenge and limitation notes, and its abstract. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one.

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What the literature leaves open

  • Further studies can be conducted to optimize the membrane sizing for reverse osmosis and pressure retarded osmosis. The proposed system can be integrated with other energy sources for improved efficiency.

    Synergetic clean energy production: solar power and low-grade heat assisted osmotic power generation from salt and fresh water · 2026 · DOI

  • The role of salinity in regulating mineral scaling is poorly understood. There is a need to study the effect of feedwater salinity on gypsum scaling in dynamic crossflow RO/NF systems.

    Elucidating the role of salinity in regulating gypsum scaling in reverse osmosis and nanofiltration · 2026 · DOI

  • The chlorine and alkaline membrane modification procedure (1,000-2,000 ppm NaOCl followed by 0.1 M NaOH treatment) produced two discrete permeability levels (BW30MP and BW30HP), but the dose-response relationship between oxidative chain scission severity and resulting changes in gypsum nucleation kinetics and surface scaling propensity across continuous permeability gradients remains unmapped.

    Elucidating the role of salinity in regulating gypsum scaling in reverse osmosis and nanofiltration · 2026 · DOI

  • The study focuses on controlled model systems. The performance of the CA/ε-Pls membrane under more realistic conditions remains to be explored. Microplastics in natural water matrices are highly heterogeneous in size, morphology, and surface properties.

    High-performance caffeic acid-based superhydrophilic membranes for efficient removal of microplastics-oil co-contaminants · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of efficient treatment and reuse of domestic wastewater in backfilling operations. The need for a viable technical pathway for the treatment and reuse of domestic wastewater in mining areas.

    Developing a PVDF/nTiO2-(n-1)Fe(OH)3 modified membrane for domestic wastewater treatment in mining areas as an alternative water source for mine backfilling · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a need for novel materials and approaches to improve desalination performance. The incorporation of MOFs into membranes is a relatively new approach, with few studies reported in the literature.

    Assessing the desalination performance of MIL-68(In) MOF-filled PVDF membranes in vacuum membrane distillation · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of studies on the partition coefficient of the protective layer in dual-phase passive samplers. The need for a reliable sampling strategy for the monitoring of ECs in water.

    Sorption properties of several polyethersulfone membranes for hydrophilic and hydrophobic emerging contaminants: implications for their application in passive sampling · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of long-term performance data, uncertain cost structures, and site-specific regulatory requirements continue to impede scale-up. Energy consumption remains a defining limitation in both desalination and advanced brine management.

    A Review on Engineering Approaches to Reverse Osmosis Brine Management: Disposal, Volume Reduction and Emerging Resource Recovery · 2026 · DOI

  • The practical application of traditional nanofiltration membranes is still limited by several technical challenges, including insufficient chemical and mechanical stability, poor separation performance, and low anti-fouling ability. There is a need for a simple and efficient approach to enhance the nanofiltration performance of GO membranes.

    Supramolecular polymer-functionalized graphene oxide membranes: a potential approach to sustainable and efficient nanofiltration · 2026 · DOI

  • Membrane fouling remains the primary technical challenge limiting the widespread adoption of membrane technology in the juice processing industry. Conventional clarification methods often result in nutrient loss, high energy consumption, and environmental concerns.

    Smart Juice Clarification System Using Bio-Polymer Membrane · 2026 · DOI

  • The need for advanced water treatment technologies to address the growing global challenge of water scarcity and contamination. The limitations of conventional emulsion liquid membranes (ELM) for water treatment.

    A review on emulsion nanofluid membranes: next-generation technology for water and industrial wastewater purification · 2026 · DOI

  • Future research should focus on quantitative identification of reactive species contributions, evaluation of transformation products and residual toxicity after UV/PAA oxidation, and assessment of the energy efficiency and scalability of the process under real operational conditions.

    Nanofiltration for the Removal of Micropollutants from Surface Water and UV/PAA Oxidation of the Resulting Retentate · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of effective methods for the removal of antibiotic wastewater. The need for a novel membrane that can balance adsorption, interfacial transport, and structural stability.

    Structural Design of PES-CS-MMT Composite Membrane by Layer-by-Layer Self-Assembly for the Removal of Antibiotic Wastewater · 2026 · DOI

  • The optimal operation of MNB-assisted ultrafiltration in PVDF-HFM systems remains unclear. The effect of release pressure and intermittent aeration strategy on membrane fouling is not well understood. The difference in optimal intermittent interval between PVDF-HFM and ceramic membranes is not previously reported.

    Enhanced Organic Fouling Control and Energy-Saving Strategies in PVDF Hollow Fiber Membrane Ultrafiltration via Intermittent Micro–Nanobubble Aeration · 2026 · DOI

  • While the transition from traditional polymers to next-generation hybrid structures, such as MXene-incorporated thin-film nanocomposites offers a pathway to mitigate these issues through enhanced hydrophilicity and tunable transport channels, a more systemic bottleneck exists: the lack of standardized analytical methods.

    Membrane Technologies for Microplastics Removal from Wastewater: Recent Progress, Fouling Mechanisms, and Future Perspectives · 2026 · DOI

  • The characterization and study of nanoplastics (NP), defined as plastic particles less than 100 nm in size, remains insufficiently explored, with studies indicating that only a minority explicitly focus on their removal. This gap is significant given the inherent differences in transport behaviors and bioavailability between MP and NP.

    Membrane Technologies for Microplastics Removal from Wastewater: Recent Progress, Fouling Mechanisms, and Future Perspectives · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of effective separation methods for Artesunate and artemisinin due to their similar structures and properties. The need for advanced materials and technologies for precise separation. The limited understanding of the effects of membrane structure on separation performance.

    Construction of Sulfhydryl-Amino UiO-66/PVDF Membranes via Morphology Regulation for the Selective Separation of Artesunate · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of effective solutions for treating effluents generated in sewage systems. The need for optimizing crossflow microfiltration processes to improve their performance.

    Application of Artificial Intelligence in Evaluating the Crossflow Microfiltration Process for Treating Effluent Generated in a Sewage Treatment System · 2026 · DOI

  • Near-term progress is therefore more likely to arise from incremental improvements and conservative system integration rather than disruptive technology shifts.

    A Review on Engineering Approaches to Reverse Osmosis Brine Management: Disposal, Volume Reduction and Emerging Resource Recovery · 2026 · DOI

  • Membrane fouling remains a primary operational constraint. The practical bottleneck is often not the initial separation performance of the membrane, but the ability to maintain stable operation in the presence of organic foulants. Desalination and reuse facilities increasingly pursue high-recovery operation to increase permeate yield and reduce concentrate volumes.

    Thickness-controlled polyamide membranes via centrifugal thin-film deposition for improved fouling and high-recovery performance · 2026 · DOI

  • Evaluation of the membrane performance under more realistic conditions. Investigation of the membrane fouling behavior in real wastewater or environmental water samples. Development of environmentally friendly substrates for sustainable membrane fabrication.

    High-performance caffeic acid-based superhydrophilic membranes for efficient removal of microplastics-oil co-contaminants · 2026 · DOI

  • Further study of the effects of CTFD on membrane performance and longevity. Investigation of the applicability of CTFD to other types of membranes and separation processes. Development of more efficient and effective membranes for desalination and water reuse applications.

    Thickness-controlled polyamide membranes via centrifugal thin-film deposition for improved fouling and high-recovery performance · 2026 · DOI

  • Investigating the long-term stability of the membrane, - Studying the effects of different operating conditions on the membrane's performance, - Exploring the application of the membrane in real-world wastewater…

    Structural Design of PES-CS-MMT Composite Membrane by Layer-by-Layer Self-Assembly for the Removal of Antibiotic Wastewater · 2026 · DOI

  • Investigating the effect of intermittent MNB release on other types of membranes. Comparing the performance of PVDF-HFM with other types of membranes. Exploring the application of intermittent MNB release in large-scale water treatment systems.

    Enhanced Organic Fouling Control and Energy-Saving Strategies in PVDF Hollow Fiber Membrane Ultrafiltration via Intermittent Micro–Nanobubble Aeration · 2026 · DOI

  • Investigating the scalability of the membrane preparation method. Evaluating the long-term stability of the membrane. Exploring the application of the membrane for the separation of other compounds.

    Construction of Sulfhydryl-Amino UiO-66/PVDF Membranes via Morphology Regulation for the Selective Separation of Artesunate · 2026 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Membrane Separation Technologies

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Open questions raised by papers listed on this page include: (1) There is a need to study the effect of feedwater salinity on gypsum scaling in dynamic crossflow RO/NF systems (“Elucidating the role of salinity in regulating gypsum scaling in reverse…”, 2026); (2) The performance of the CA/ε-Pls membrane under more realistic conditions remains to be explored (“High-performance caffeic acid-based superhydrophilic membranes for efficient…”, 2026); (3) The lack of efficient treatment and reuse of domestic wastewater in backfilling operations (“Developing a PVDF/nTiO2-(n-1)Fe(OH)3 modified membrane for domestic wastewater…”, 2026); (4) There is a need for novel materials and approaches to improve desalination performance (“Assessing the desalination performance of MIL-68(In) MOF-filled PVDF membranes…”, 2026); (5) The lack of studies on the partition coefficient of the protective layer in dual-phase passive samplers (“Sorption properties of several polyethersulfone membranes for hydrophilic and…”, 2026). 142 gap statements have been mined from Membrane Separation Technologies papers in our 4.5M-paper local library, which holds 3,227 papers on the topic; the gaps come from whichever of those papers state one. They are mostly the research gaps the authors state and the papers' abstracts, plus future-work, limitations and challenges passages. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one, so you can read the original claim in context.

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