A new desalination membrane that converts seawater into freshwater has been developed at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), with researchers suggesting that it offers a ‘powerful solution’ to the world’s growing water scarcity challenges.
The technology, which is currently being evaluated at pilot scale on the KAUST campus, relies on an ultra-thin film with pores smaller than a nanometre, which allow water vapour to pass through while blocking salt and other contaminants.
While desalination is already playing a role in ensuring water supply across arid regions, many existing systems require high energy input and are most viable at large scale, restricting their use in remote locations.
The KAUST membrane overcomes these constraints, with researchers noting that approximately one square meter of this film can produce 40 litres of freshwater from regular seawater every hour at room temperature, using only 1.88 kilowatt-hours to produce 1,000 litres of freshwater.
“Water and energy are inseparable issues, and our technology addresses both,” commented Professor Noreddine Ghaffour, lead author of the study and a specialist in desalination and water treatment at KAUST.
“We have shown that it is possible to desalinate not only seawater but even highly concentrated brines, using far less energy than traditional approaches.”
Beyond the production of fresh water, the new technology may also play a role in managing water generated by existing desalination plants and oil production facilities, reducing the environmental impacts associated with water recovery and energy production.
As pilot testing continues, the team plans to assess scalability and durability under various operational conditions, informing future applications across industrial and municipal water systems. A number of industrial partners have already shown interest in deploying the technology, they noted.
“KAUST provides an environment where fundamental materials science can be translated into practical technologies that respond to real needs,” Professor Ghaffour added.
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