Carbon Quantum Dots Based Brackish Water Reverse Osmosis Membranes
According to the United Nations, half of the world's population grapples with water scarcity for at least a month each year. To meet heightened demands for clean water, treatment processes are crucial in turning unusable water into a supply that is safe for drinking, sanitation, and industrial use.
For reverse osmosis thin film composite (TFC) membranes bear tiny pores that allow select molecules to pass through while blocking out the rest. However, their ability to block contaminants tends to impede water flow, yielding a lower volume of purified water from the initial supply. The reverse is also true. Enhanced water permeability typically reduces the membrane’s selectivity against unwanted chemicals. To maximise the production of clean water from brackish water, membranes that can overcome these drawbacks must be engineered.
This technology offer describes an improved, highly permeable TFC membrane for the desalination of brackish water through reverse osmosis (RO), as well as a method for production thereof. Here, functionalised carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are synthesized and incorporated into the selective layer of the membrane.
The technology provider is currently seeking commercial entities interested to license this technology for commercialization.