A mini-review of polymeric porous membranes with vertically penetrative pores

Abstract

Membrane separation technology plays a pivotal role in modern industry and scientific research. The key to developing and improving membrane separation processes lies in designing and fabricating customized porous membranes with specific physical parameters, including pore diameter, porosity, pore size distribution, pore length (membrane thickness), pore geometry, and pore connectivity. Polymeric porous membranes with vertically-penetrative-pores (PPMVs) represent a distinct category among the available membranes due to their unique characteristics such as short transport path, small trans-membrane resistance, and simple pore geometry, as compared to other porous membranes with sponge-like channels. In practical applications, PPMVs offer several advantages, including achieving higher flux rates, facilitating easier unidirectional transport, and enabling harmless biological extraction. Moreover, PPMVs can serve as ideal model systems for theoretical investigations on the fundamental mechanisms of separation and transport in academic research. With substantial advancements in fabrication technologies and application fields of PPMVs in recent years, it warrants a comprehensive perspective. In this mini-review, we provide an overview of widely used fabrication methods for PPMVs, discuss their primary applications, and address the existing challenges and opportunities.