U.S.-Singapore Planning Visit: Collaborations in Forward Osmosis Research

0832894该奖项支持一次计划访问，使俄亥俄州托莱多大学的伊莎贝尔·埃斯科瓦尔教授能够与新加坡国立大学的(Neal)T.S.Chung教授会面。这项研究是新颖的，因为它结合了纳滤膜和为正渗透(FO)应用量身定制的表面功能化。研究人员建议在中性pH值下通过增加膜表面负电荷的值来发展FO操作。这种更负的纳滤膜将具有更高的单价电解液截留率和更低的浓差极化。与传统的热或反渗透工艺相比，开发使用正向渗透工艺的海水淡化工艺技术有可能将海水淡化的成本和能源消耗降低75%。随着更高效的纳滤膜在更低压力下运行的不断开发，正向渗透过程对海水淡化和寻找新的淡水来源都是有利的。这将同时满足经济和环境方面的关切。研究人员在该领域拥有互补的科学专业知识。该项目将结合托莱多大学S在膜材料合成、表面改性和抗污染方面的专业知识和新加坡大学S在正渗透和膜形成方面的专业知识。该项目将开发可申请专利、可销售的FO中空纤维膜技术，这将对供水和膜行业产生重大的长期影响，这是可行的。预计该项目将为两名美国研究生提供独特的培训和教育机会，以获得全球研究经验。科学家和每个国家的学生之间的这些早期合作可能会导致长期的合作，这将使两个机构都受益。

0832894EscobarThis award supports a planning visit to enable Professor Isabel Escobar at the University of Toledo in Ohio, to meet with Professor (Neal) T.S. Chung at the National University of Singapore. The proposed research is novel in the sense that it combines a nanofiltration membrane with tailored surface functionalization for forward osmosis (FO) application. The researchers propose to develop the FO operation by increasing the value of the negative charge of the membrane surface at neutral pH values. This more negative nanofiltration membrane will have a higher monovalent electrolyte rejection along with lower concentration polarization. Development of a desalination process technology using the forward osmosis route has the potential to achieve up to a 75 percent decrease in costs and energy consumption in desalination, in comparison to conventional thermal or reverse osmosis processes. With continued development of more efficient nanofiltration membranes, operating at lower pressures, the forward osmosis process can be beneficial for both seawater desalination and identifying a new resource for fresh water availability. This would result in satisfying both economical and environmental concerns. The researchers have complementary scientific expertise in the field. The project will combine the University of Toledo?s expertise on membrane material synthesis, surface modification and fouling resistance with the University of Singapore?s expertise in forward osmosis and membrane formation. It is feasible that this project will develop patentable and marketable FO hollow fiber membrane technologies that could have significant long-term impact on the water supply and the membrane industry. It is anticipated that this project will provide unique training and educational opportunities for two U.S. graduate students to obtain a global research experience. These early collaborations between the scientists and students from each country will likely lead to long-term collaborations that will benefit both institutions.