Imagine a filter that acts like a lotus leaf, where water and grime simply slide off instead of sticking. This project uses plasma technology to create a special coating on membranes that prevents them from getting clogged or soaked. It allows factories to pull clean water out of dirty industrial waste more efficiently.
Industrial water filtration often fails due to membrane wetting, scaling, and fouling, which increases costs and reduces water recovery. This is especially critical in the steel, textile, and food industries.
A roll-to-roll pilot production process for superhydrophobic membranes and validated membrane modules for industrial wastewater treatment.
If you are a steel mill operator dealing with heavily polluting waste streams — this project developed superhydrophobic membranes that prevent wetting and fouling. This allows for more effective water reclamation from industrial waste.
If you are a textile plant dealing with chemical-heavy wastewater — this project developed membranes using plasma functionalization that resist scaling. This helps in producing clean water from waste streams.
If you are a food producer dealing with organic fouling in water filters — this project developed anti-wetting membranes. These tools help reduce water consumption and pollution in food production.
Based on available project data, specific pricing or cost per unit is not mentioned; the project focuses on the transition from lab to market.
Yes, the project is designing and testing small-scale pilot equipment for producing membranes in a roll-to-roll format to facilitate upscaling.
The project aims to create a spin-off company to commercialize the superhydrophobic membranes and processes.
The technology is being integrated into commercial Membrane Distillation (MD) modules, with SolarSpring/Aquastill acting as the first technology adopter.
The project period runs from 2023-01-01 to 2026-06-30, aiming to reach TRL 5-6 during this window.
The consortium is heavily industry-weighted with a 67% industry ratio, comprising 6 partners across 4 countries. It balances academic research from the Max Planck Institute and NCSR Demokritos with 4 SMEs, including specialized roll-to-roll experts Europlasma and SolSep, and a commercial adopter in SolarSpring/Aquastill, indicating a strong push toward commercialization.
Contact the National Center for Scientific Research Demokritos in Greece
Contact us to explore licensing opportunities for superhydrophobic membrane technology.
