University of Kentucky Membrane Center and NSF KY Epscor Membrane Pillar Activities

We have extensive, multi-disciplinary collaborative activities to develop functional bio-inspired and other nano-composite membranes for selective separations and reactions as part of an overall environmental remediation, liquid purification, and value-added chemical production. The goals in this area are to integrate bio-inspired methodologies to create multifunctional, low-fouling, responsive, reactive, and selective membranes with high efficiency. Our approaches include stimuli-responsive (pH to temperature to molecular recognition) membrane surfaces, hybrid (polymer-GO) and enzymatically active membranes and catalysts, and integration of highly efficient integral membrane protein channels in synthetic membranes. The presentation will highlight some specific examples, such as, responsive nanocomposite membranes, molecular engineering of protein channels for site-specific and directional immobilization, enzyme immobilized membrane systems for pollutant degradation and value added chemical synthesis.