Researchers in AQUAlity have developed new materials such as functional ceramics and cross-linked graphene oxide for the fabrication of nanofiltration membranes with outstanding water permeability, ultra-robustness, and easy functionalization. Depending on the nature of the effluents to be treated, the nanofiltration membranes were then integrated with advanced oxidation processes such as photocatalysis, thermocatalysis, and photo-Fenton, thus creating a range of new technologies. Now we are developing/ strengthening strategies for the maturation and commercialization of these new technologies.

The proposed hybrid technologies are at different development stages. Hybrid nanofiltration – solar photo-Fenton systems have been tested on a pilot scale with real wastewater, while other technologies, namely photocatalytic zirconia-based membranes, hybrid nanofiltration (amorphous-silica membrane) – thermocatalysis, thermocatalytic graphene oxide membrane, thermocatalytic membrane distillation were tested in the laboratory with relevant model and real wastewater samples.

All the systems need to be validated in a relevant environment and their integration withing the existing facilities need to be studied.

High reproducibility has been observed in the fabrication and performances of the hybrid systems (see references).

Our hybrid systems can produce clean water, while pollutants are mineralized. Thus, both membrane permeate and concentrate are clean and can be recycled or reused, as required in a context of circular economy. Moreover, these technologies are designed to exploit inexpensive sources of energy, such as solar light and low-grade heat.