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Membranes research expertise

Find out about membranes research happening across our Faculty of Engineering & Design research centres.

Our research

We bring together significant expertise in fundamental and applied research in membranes.


We develop and deploy advanced membrane technologies across a wide range of sectors. Building on materials development and working on high-profile, industry-led projects, we explore new ways to make separation processes more cost and energy-efficient.

Our internationally renowned work on membranes offers huge potential for many sectors including:

  • petrochemical
  • biotechnology
  • healthcare
  • food processing
  • formulation
  • water and gas treatment
  • manufacturing

We cover everything from the molecular investigation of nanomaterials, to the manufacture of novel new membranes. We do much of this on-site using our specialised equipment in purpose-built labs. Much of our research focuses on making a real difference and positive impact where it's needed. We develop membranes to improve separation processes across many industries, including food processing, water treatment, and gas separation.

Example projects


  • A new membrane to improve the separation of the compound sterol from orange juice, allowing it to be reused as a dietary supplement to reduce cholesterol
  • Smart transdermal membranes to control the release of drugs into the skin in a non-invasive, programmable way
  • Novel contaminant-resistant membranes capable of producing pure hydrogen from organic waste
  • Fluid dynamic gauging technology to improve the cleaning of membranes, a system now widely adopted by other universities and industry
  • Sustainable membrane manufacturing for water desalination via membrane distillation and gas separations
  • Novel one-atom-thick membranes for high-performance carbon capture
Read some of our membranes publications
This bio-inspired polymeric membrane with biomimetic surface features enables energy-efficient resource recovery from challenging waste streams to achieve a circular economy.

Our experts

Find out the researchers and technicians who are working on membranes.


Contact us

Email us to find out more about our research, opportunities to collaborate, or how to use our equipment and services.