A summary of recent developments in polymers for use in various membrane filtration applications is provided. Desirable attributes of polymers for use in these applications are discussed in terms of the function of the membrane material. The trend toward the design of polymers with specific chemical functionalities for particular uses is highlighted. Membrane filtration is a technique which is primarily used to separate particles from a liquid for the purpose of purifying it. This filtration method has a number of applications, ranging from treating wastewater to filtering milk used for cheese production.
In the membrane filtration process, a solvent is passed through a semi-permeable membrane. The permeability of the membrane is determined by the size of the pores. It will act as a barrier to particles which are larger than the pores while the remainder of the solvent can pass freely through the membrane. The result of the process is a cleaned and filtered fluid on one side of the membrane and the removed solute on the other side.