Postdoc position Advanced and Sustainable Membranes from Responsive Polymers

Membranes play a critical role in the production of safe drinking water and in the treatment of human waste streams. However, membranes themselves are nearly always produced using costly, harmful and environmentally unfriendly aprotic solvents such as N-methyl-pyrrolidone (NMP). This project will investigate a highly novel approach allowing the production of the next generation of advanced membranes without the need to use any organic solvents. Here, responsive polymers will be the basis for a new method for the fabrication of membranes that does not require the use of any organic solvents. Responsive polymers can switch their behavior from hydrophilic to hydrophobic under certain conditions and the resulting phase separation will be used to create novel porous materials. Subsequent crosslinking provides the mechanical stability necessary for membrane applications. Finally, blending with active ingredients can imbue the membrane with advanced properties (anti-fouling, ion-specific, catalytic etc.).