Virtual Special Issue: Polymeric Membranes for Advanced Separations

Abstract

Metrics & MoreArticle RecommendationsM embrane technology has been playing an increasingly important role in addressing the global challenges related to water, the environment, and energy. The majority of membranes used in industry are produced by using polymers. Membranes hosting nano-sized or even angstrom-sized pathways, that are fixed or dynamic, regulate the transport of fine particulates, molecules, or ions based on the mechanism of size discrimination, electrostatic interactions, or sorption and diffusion. Advances in polymer science have helped to develop better membranes, and in turn the ever-increasing demands for highly efficacious membrane separations drive further progress in fundamental polymer science. That is, polymer science is essential to the development of polymeric membranes with high performance (Figure 1). Macromolecules has long been an important platform for publishing highly relevant and impactful studies regarding polymeric membranes. This Virtual Issue highlights some membrane studies recently published in Macromolecules, mainly focusing on membranes for ultrafiltration (UF), gas separations, and fuel cell separators.UF is enabled by membranes with sizes in the range of ∼2− 100 nm. UF membranes are typically prepared by phase Editorial pubs.acs.org/Macromolecules