Every day, industries around the world rely on membranes—thin, specialized materials used to filter, separate, and purify everything from drinking water to industrial chemicals. But making these membranes often involves toxic chemicals, creating a major environmental concern.
Enter Yaozhong Zhang, the lead researcher from the University of Toronto’s Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry, who is on a mission to change that. Assisted by Pei-Yin Diao, an MEng graduate from the same lab, Zhang’s newly published study presents a cleaner, safer, and more efficient way to make high-performance membranes—one that could have big implications for sustainability and industrial processes.
What’s the Problem?
Many of today’s membranes are made using PTFE—a durable, chemically resistant material commonly known as Teflon. While PTFE is incredibly useful, the way it’s traditionally made comes with serious drawbacks:
- Toxic solvents are used in production.
- High-voltage techniques make the process risky.
- Slow production rates make scaling up difficult.
Zhang, a PhD candidate in Professor Farnood’s lab, had a vision: What if there was a way to make PTFE membranes without toxic chemicals? That question led him to explore a promising new technique called solution blow spinning (SBS).
A New Way to Make Membranes—Using Just Water
Zhang’s research shows that membranes can be made using water instead of toxic solvents—a game-changer for the field. By applying solution blow spinning, he developed a super-water-repellent (superhydrophobic) membrane that outperformed commercially available ones in key areas:
- Better at repelling water and absorbing oil
- Higher porosity, meaning it lets substances pass through more efficiently
- More stable during liquid-liquid separation
To put the membrane to the test, Zhang used it for caffeine extraction (yes, from coffee!). The results? Faster and more effective extraction compared to commercial membranes. This proves that not only is Zhang’s method greener, but it also works better than the traditional approach.
Why Does This Matter?
This new membrane technology could have a huge impact across multiple industries:
- Water filtration – Safer, more efficient membranes for clean water.
- Chemical processing – Improved separation and purification of substances.
- Energy storage – Potential applications in battery technology.
But beyond industry applications, this research is about something bigger—proving that sustainable manufacturing is possible without sacrificing performance.
“Traditionally, achieving sustainability, scalability, and high performance in membrane fabrication was considered an impossible challenge,” says Zhang. “However, emerging techniques like solution blow spinning can address these limitations simultaneously, offering a versatile platform for advanced membrane applications.”
Overcoming Challenges & Looking Ahead
Developing this technology wasn’t easy. The biggest hurdle? Trial and error. Zhang spent months experimenting with different techniques, fine-tuning the process until he found the right conditions to make the membrane work.
Along the way, he also discovered something unexpected: Unlike other techniques, solution blow spinning isn’t affected by electrical conductivity. This opens up exciting new possibilities—like creating electrically conductive membranes that could be used in advanced heating and filtration systems.
So what’s next? Zhang is already working on membranes with built-in electrical properties, which could be a breakthrough for industries dealing with chemical processing and energy applications.
The Future of Sustainable Science
For Zhang, this research is about more than just membranes—it’s about rethinking how materials are made.
“Innovation isn’t just about improving performance; it’s about making processes safer and more sustainable,” he explains. “Our goal is to create technology that helps both industry and the environment.”
Zhang’s research could be the start of a new wave of greener, more efficient manufacturing techniques—and a reminder that sometimes, the best solutions come from rethinking the way things have always been done.
His research was published on March 4, 2024 and can be accessed here: Read the full study.