Toray's Cutting-Edge RO Membrane: Advancing Water Treatment Efficiency and Environmental Sustainability

​Toray Industries, Inc. stated that it has create a reverse osmosis (RO) membrane that is incredibly resilient (shown in the figure). This innovative product maintains the superior filtration performance crucial for industrial wastewater reuse and sewage treatment while boasting double the resistance to cleaning chemicals compared to traditional membranes. This enhanced durability minimizes membrane wear and simplifies operational upkeep, reducing replacement frequency and lessening the carbon footprint of the product.
The company stated that preparations are underway for mass production and launch of the new membrane in the burgeoning Chinese market by the first half of 2024, with plans to introduce products featuring this technology globally, including in Japan.
RO membranes play a vital role in various applications such as desalination, wastewater reuse, and drinking water production, contributing to sustainable water sources. However, increased reliance on cleaning chemicals to maintain operational efficiency has led to demand for more resilient membranes.
 Toray used digital data analysis and scanning transmission electron microscopy technology to quantitatively analyze the pore structures of an RO membrane with pores smaller than one nanometer in diameter. As a result of this analysis, a substructure that improves stability when exposed to cleaning agents was discovered, which helped in the development of a new polymer structure and the production of an RO membrane with improved pore stability.

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