UC REGENTS

Understanding Fundamental Fouling and Transport Mechanisms in Membrane Processes - The advancement of membrane technology is severely hampered by the long-standing problem of fouling, which is caused by the accumulation of foreign substances on membrane surfaces or inside pores. Fouling can seriously deteriorate membrane performance by lowering water permeability, worsening product water quality, increasing energy consumption, shortening membrane life, increasing operating costs, and, in an unsustainable manner, releasing chemical wastes from mandated cleaning process into the environment. Therefore, membrane fouling is a major obstacle to the efficient use of membranes. To address this critical issue, Mi's research team is integrating multi-scale experiments and molecular simulation to systematically unveil the molecular-level membrane-foulant interactions, which cannot be fully understood by either experimental or simulation approaches alone. This research provides keen insight into..

Primary location: Of California