DTU develops ultra-pure water membrane with great market potential

The Technical University of Denmark (DTU) is developing a novel nanotechnological membrane which can filter water and make it 100 times purer than the best membranes available today, writes professional journal Ingeniøren (The Engineer). The ultra-pure water can initially be used by chip manufacturers, but the technology can be developed for a large number of purposes including purification of water in developing countries and to improve the effectiveness of osmotic power stations (salinity power).

 

"What we have here is a coming revolution in water purification technology," Oliver Geschke, lecturer at DTU's Department of Micro and Nanotechnology (DTU Nanotech) told Ingeniøren. "The combination of nanotechnology and biotechnology gives us the opportunity to create a membrane which is far more effective and cheaper in use than existing technology."

 

In addition to DTU Nanotech, project partners comprise the Quantum Protein Centre and the Membrane Group at DTU, the Center for Biomembrane Physics at the University of Southern Denmark and Novozymes. The project has gained DKK 10m (USD 2m) in funding from the High Technology Foundation, and will be commercialised by Aquaporin, a fledgling Danish biotech company based near Copenhagen.

 

Peter Holme Jensen, director of Aquaporin said: "After oil and energy, the market for water purification is the world's third largest with a value of more than DKK 1,600bn (USD 320bn) annually since water purification is used in all areas including agriculture and the food, pharmaceutical and semiconductor industries."

 

The development of the new membrane is scheduled for completion in 2010. Further information can be obtained from Aquaporin's website – see link below.

 

Link > Aquaporin