What is Membrane Material

The advancement in membrane technologies is driven by the development of membrane fabrication techniques and material studies. Nowadays, there are many fabrication techniques and materials available to produce membranes with characteristics that are ideal for specific applications. In this chapter, some fabrication methods are discussed for the three most widely used membrane types, i.e. the polymeric, ceramic, and metallic membranes. Each type of membrane possesses certain advantages and disadvantages attributed to the membrane structural properties as a result of the fabrication method. The choice of method and material are the two important aspects that determine membrane performance and efficiency. The membrane performance indicator is generally measured from the flux, rejection factor, and ability to withstand extreme chemical and physical conditions. Furthermore, the fabricated membranes are further assembled into a complete unit of membrane system called the membrane modules, namely tubular, plate-and-frame, spiral-wound, capillary, and hollow fibre.