Résumé
This chapter reveals the development of new materials is an area of water quality engineering where nanotechnology is expected to make a critical impact. The impact is likely to be especially significant for “high-tech” treatment technologies such as the membrane-based separation. The newly available nanomaterials and nanotechnology tools can enable the synthesis of novel polymers and ceramics, as well as polymer-inorganic composites to manufacture higher performance membranes with increased permeability, selectivity, and resistance to fouling.
The expanding choice of functional nanoparticles opens up another intriguing opportunity-the bottom-up design of nanoparticle-enabled multifunctional membranes-more complex devices capable of performing multiple tasks. Combining unique functionalities afforded by nanoparticles with other functions in one hybrid process can enhance the overall treatment efficiency and remove excessive redundancy.