Smart Membranes for Nitrate Removal, Water Purification, and Selective Ion Transportation
William D. Wilson, Charlene M. Schaldach, William L. Bourcier,
Phillip H. Paul
U.S. Patent 7,632,406 B2
December 15, 2009
This computer-designed nanoengineered membrane is designed to separate dissolved species. One model with an apparatus for treating a fluid includes ions comprising a microengineered porous membrane, a system for producing an electrical charge across the membrane, and a series of nanopores extending through the membrane. The pore size is such that the nanopores will form a double-layer overlap when the fluid contacts the membrane. As a result, only those ions whose electrical charge is opposite that of the membrane can pass through the pores.