Taasesitusmembraane

Taasesitusmembraane, literally “reabsorption membranes”, is an emerging concept in membrane technology that describes membranes capable of not only separating components but also actively reabsorbing or binding specific solutes from a process stream. The term appears in some biotechnological and chemical engineering writings and is used to denote membranes that integrate sorption sites or reactive functionalities with the selective barrier.

Principle and design

Taasesitusmembraane combine a selective permselective layer with functional elements that capture target molecules during permeation. The capture can rely on chemical binding, affinity interactions, or reversible reactions that concentrate the solute within or near the membrane. Operation can be driven by concentration or chemical potential gradients, and in some designs by pH, temperature, or redox conditions that trigger release for regeneration. The regenerated stream may then be recirculated or further processed.

Materials and configurations

Typical implementations use thin-film composites, porous supports, or hollow-fiber architectures, functionalized with polymers or ligands that provide binding sites for the target species. Functional groups may include amines, carboxyls, or more advanced chemistries such as affinity ligands, ion exchange moieties, or embedded sorbents. Configurations aim to balance permeability, selectivity, and the ease of sorption-regeneration cycles to minimize energy use and fouling.

Applications and outlook

Potential applications include recovery of valuable biochemicals from fermentation or wastewater streams, nutrient reclamation, solvent recycling, and integrated processing where simultaneous separation and solute capture reduce downstream processing. Benefits may include higher solute recovery and lower energy demand compared with conventional separation, but challenges such as fouling, binding capacity, regeneration efficiency, and material cost remain. Ongoing research focuses on durable functionalization, scalable fabrication, and system integration.