Functional Properties of Nanoporous Membranes for the Desalination of Water

Abstract

Desalination provides a possibility of expanding the freshwater reserves by supplementing it with water from oceans and brackish reservoirs. Conventional desalination technologies like reverse osmosis and thermal distillation have failed to meet the expectancy due to high-energy consumption and low salt rejection. Recent research works prove that nanoporous desalination is efficient than conventional technologies due to its high mechanical–chemical stability and higher water flux. Experimental studies along molecular dynamic simulations justify that nanoporous membranes are capable of 100% salt rejection. In addition to nanomembranes, natural and synthetic nanofibers have also emerged as potential nanomaterials for desalination. This review provides a detailed insight on developments and augmentation techniques in the frontier of nanoporous desalination.