2009-10-01 News

GKSS Researchers Investigate Self-Assembled Polymer Membranes for Separation

Participants at the SELFMEM kick-off meeting in Geesthacht.

The long-term goal of the research is to develop previously non-existent fine-pored membranes with new properties, to enable separating tasks in medicine, industry and environmental engineering.

“Medical progress could certainly be advanced, if membranes were capable of selecting biological molecules, such as proteins or DNA” explains the SELFMEM Project Co-ordinator, Prof. Volker Abetz.

If, for example, certain proteins or enzymes could be separated from liquids, membranes could be used in a targeted way to combat illnesses or to improve catalytic processes. A further vision is "switchable” membranes, with pores that automatically adjust to particular factors or even independently distinguish between molecules of the same size. Modern tailored membranes enable technical advances even in the area of gas separation.

Before these new developments can be put to practical application, the relationships between structural properties of block copolymer membranes must be examined more closely, which will be pursued in the SELFMEM project. Such a detailed investigation is mandatory prior to systematic application in technology.

Complexity of many factors

The co-ordinator of the project: GKSS Institute Head, Prof. Volker Abetz

To set milestones in research, co-operation is required through a network of science and industry. A total of twelve partners from EU member states, Switzerland, Russia, Israel and Canada are co-operating in this EU project, which involves a total investment of around 5.2 million Euros.

The consortium members have been carefully selected and they are profiting mutually from their expertise. The network covers the entire spectrum of research from theory to simulation, manufacturing and characterisation of the membranes, and possible development of membrane prototypes.

GKSS is responsible for manufacturing of the block copolymer membranes and their characterisation. Co-ordination and management is also carried out here.

The participants involved met on the 1st and 2nd of October 2009 at the GKSS Research Centre in Geesthacht for the kick-off meeting, to exchange the first ideas and fix details of the work plan including deliverables for the first project year.

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