Membrion works with WL Gore to develop ultra-thin ceramic ion exchange membranes

Membrion, the ceramic desalination membrane manufacturer, is collaborating with materials company WL Gore and Associates to perform commercial testing of their jointly developed ultra-thin ceramic ion exchange membranes for energy efficient desalination of harsh wastewater streams.

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The two companies have successfully demonstrated up to a 4-fold enhancement in salt flux above Membrion’s industry leading CeramIX membrane in a commercial scale. This enables energy efficient salt, mineral and metal removal in concentrated brines, many of which have other contaminants such as acids, oxidizers, foulants or scalants that make them hard-to-treat.

“Our core product is about taking membranes where they’ve never gone before and now Gore is helping us take them even further than we thought possible,” said Membrion CEO and co-founder Greg Newbloom. “It’s been an honour collaborating with a company like Gore who has a long track record of creating industry-leading products.”

Membrion and Gore are tackling the treatment of complex brines in the semiconductor, food, mining, and other industries. These streams are typically too complex or harsh to treat with existing membrane technologies and are usually trucked off-site for disposal. The technology aims to eliminate the need for off-site transport while enabling a cost effective and energy efficient treatment of water in these industries.

“We are excited to collaborate with Membrion on this important project to investigate the commercial application of advanced desalination membranes,” said Chris Kane, Advanced Materials Innovation Associate at Gore. “As a global materials science company, we remain dedicated to developing high-performing products that meet our customers’ challenging requirements.”

Gore and Membrion are also looking for piloting and performance validation opportunities across applications and industries. Industrial partners are invited to participate in these programs by contacting Membrion.