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Open research questions in Membrane Separation Technologies

47 unresolved questions extracted from the limitations and future-work sections of 401 Membrane Separation Technologies papers in our library. Each links back to the study that raised it.

What the literature leaves open

  • 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

  • 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

  • Instability of emulsion liquid membranes (ELM). Low selectivity of ELM. Limited scalability of ELM.

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

  • Maintaining the consistency of single-atom dispersion and defect engineering during scale-up. Real wastewater contains complex components that may cause catalyst poisoning and membrane fouling. The need for thousands of hours of operational validation.

    Application of Semiconductor Nanomaterials in Water Treatment: A Study on MXene Membranes, α-MoO₃ Nanotubes, and MoS₂-Modified Ceramic Membranes · 2026 · DOI

  • Conventional solvent extraction, ion exchange, and precipitation methods are limited by their high reagent consumption, slow kinetics, poor selectivity, and environmental burdens.

    Selective Separation of Rare Earth Elements by Nanofiltration Membranes: Mechanisms, Performance, and Perspectives · 2026 · DOI

  • However, the lack of standardized purification methods and limited scalability remain critical bottlenecks for the practical application and industrial translation of LDEVs.

    EPOTF-Enabled Scalable Production of Structurally Intact Lemon-Derived Extracellular Vesicles with Enhanced Bioactivity · 2026 · DOI

  • While this study evaluated antifouling using model foulants, future work will focus on testing the membranes against real wastewater to further confirm their practical applicability in complex microbial and organic environments. (2022) reported promising permeability (67–163 L·m⁻2 h⁻1) Chemical Papers1 3 and rejection (97–99%), but lacked data on FRR and test duration, thereby limiting a comprehensive performance comparison.

    Synergistic modification of polyvinylidine fluoride membranes with multi-walled carbon nanotubes and triclosan for enhanced ultrafiltration performance · 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

  • Gypsum scaling tests on modified membranes (BW30MP and BW30HP) were conducted only at fixed initial permeate flux of 30±1 L m⁻² h⁻¹; the impact of varying flux rates (15-45 L m⁻² h⁻¹) combined with 50-150 mM NaCl background salinity on the relationship between water/salt permeability enhancement and gypsum scale accumulation kinetics has not been systematically investigated.

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

  • Energy recovery and staged concentration optimization strategies for reverse osmosis brine systems lack comparative techno-economic analysis across different recovery targets (70%, 85%, 95%) and geographic contexts. Specific energy demand reduction pathways for conservative recovery targets versus near zero liquid discharge systems are not quantified.

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

  • Pretreatment and fouling-resistant membrane material innovations for hypersaline brine treatment require validation data to establish conservative operating envelopes for multistage membrane-based concentration and thermal hybrid processes. Current material screening lacks standardized test protocols for high-salinity, high-fouling-potential brine conditions.

    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

  • 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

  • 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

  • Investigating the long-term durability of the modification layer and the potential leaching of Cu2+. Assessing the applicability of the membrane to other complex water matrices.

    MoS2-TA@Cu2+ Nanomaterials Synergistically Modified Polyethersulfone Ultrafiltration Membrane: Enhanced Anti-Scaling and Antibacterial Properties for High-hardness Karst Water Treatment · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of effective methods for preventing membrane fouling in high-hardness karst water treatment. The need for developing modified membranes with enhanced anti-scaling and antibacterial properties.

    MoS2-TA@Cu2+ Nanomaterials Synergistically Modified Polyethersulfone Ultrafiltration Membrane: Enhanced Anti-Scaling and Antibacterial Properties for High-hardness Karst Water Treatment · 2026 · DOI

  • The development of new nanomaterials with improved adsorption efficiency and stability. The investigation of the scalability and cost-effectiveness of the electrospun PAN/SBA-15 composite nanofiber membranes.

    Reusable electrospun PAN/SBA-15 composite nanofiber membrane for eco-friendly removal of organic pollutants from wastewater: synthesis, characterization, and adsorption mechanism insights · 2026 · DOI

  • Investigating the scale-up preparation and long-term stability of semiconductor nanomaterials for water treatment. Developing new semiconductor nanomaterials with improved properties for water treatment. Evaluating the safety and environmental impact of using semiconductor nanomaterials for water treatment.

    Application of Semiconductor Nanomaterials in Water Treatment: A Study on MXene Membranes, α-MoO₃ Nanotubes, and MoS₂-Modified Ceramic Membranes · 2026 · DOI

  • Future research can focus on further improving the membrane's performance and stability. Exploring new materials and techniques can lead to the development of even more efficient membranes.

    A novel polymer brushes functionalized graphene oxide enhanced poly(terphenyl piperidinium) anion exchange membrane · 2026 · DOI

  • The study identifies a gap in the development of membranes with good ionic conductivity and alkaline stability. Existing membranes often suffer from poor performance and stability.

    A novel polymer brushes functionalized graphene oxide enhanced poly(terphenyl piperidinium) anion exchange membrane · 2026 · DOI

  • Further investigation on the performance of auxetic sieves by varying the initial inclination angle shows that the sieving sensitivity is inversely proportional to the initial inclination angle.

    Egozentrierte Diskussionsnetzwerke in den USA und Deutschland · 2007 · DOI

  • The study assumes negligible reverse transmembrane salt flux and uses simplified models (e.g., neglecting diluted side osmotic pressure) that may not fully represent real membrane behavior under all operating conditions.

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

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47 open questions have been extracted from the limitations and future-work passages of 401 Membrane Separation Technologies papers in our library. Each one below links back to the study that raised it, so you can read the original claim in context.

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