Research Areas

The MAST Center specializes in developing innovative membranes with unique micro- or nanoscale structures and distinct transport properties for advanced separation processes. By employing advanced surface modification techniques, the center enhances membrane surface properties to achieve fine separations and minimize fouling, a critical factor for commercial viability. Additionally, MAST investigates the fundamentals of membrane transport and fouling through complementary modeling and simulations, utilizing diverse equipment from four partner universities for precise characterization. Key focus areas include the characterization of asymmetric membranes, membrane modeling, and applications in green technologies and food and beverage industries.

Membrane-based unit operations are appealing for purifying human therapeutics due to their mild processing conditions and ease of scaling. The MAST Center has extensive expertise in advanced ultrafiltration processes, validating the removal of contaminants like host cell proteins, DNA, and FDA-recommended model virus particles. It also explores membrane separation processes for purifying virus vectors, vaccines, and gene therapies. Additional biopharma applications include microfiltration for perfusion bioreactors, sterilizing buffers and products, ultrafiltration for concentration and buffer exchange, and techniques for optimizing cell harvesting and virus removal while minimizing filter fouling.

Water is a valuable resource, making its recovery, recycling, and reuse essential to meet growing societal demands. The MAST Center is exploring emerging membrane technologies for treating produced water from oil and gas operations and wastewaters from food and agriculture. Researchers are developing innovative membranes and processes for direct potable reuse as well as focusing on nutrient recovery from wastewaters. Their work includes monitoring membrane integrity during filtration, creating membranes that remove novel contaminants, developing self-cleaning and anti-fouling materials, modeling scale formation dynamics, and pursuing zero-liquid discharge (ZLD) solutions.

Membranes are increasingly being used in non-aqueous phase separations, such as recovering organic solvents, fractionating organic chemicals, and removing contaminants from organic phases. The MAST Center is developing new organic solvent-resistant membranes to support these applications, as well as exploring barrier membranes for protection against chemical warfare agents. Additionally, the center has expertise in membranes for gas phase separations, and is investigating areas such as chemistry within membranes, chemical separation and adsorption, and process optimization to advance these technologies.

The Green Technologies focus area emphasizes sustainable practices in membrane manufacturing and applications. This includes using eco-friendly raw materials such as green solvents and biodegradable or UV-degradable polymers for membranes and filtration devices. The aim is to reduce the carbon footprint associated with traditional polymers used in the industry. Additionally, the focus extends to employing other green methods in membrane manufacturing. In terms of applications, the focus area explores environmentally friendly uses of membranes, such as carbon capture and the removal of harmful substances like per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

The Food and Beverage focus area centers on membrane technologies such as reverse osmosis, nanofiltration, microfiltration, and ultrafiltration. It encompasses various applications within the industry, including liquids such as juice, beer, wine, and syrups, as well as water used in beverage production. The focus extends to dairy applications such as milk and cheese filtration, lactose and whey separations, and proposes exploring bioactive compound separation from dairy streams. Additionally, it addresses wastewater processing in food and beverage production, highlighting overlaps with water treatment applications.