Peter H. Pfromm

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• M.S. Process Engineering, University of Stuttgart (Germany), 1985
• Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, University of Texas (Austin), 1994

Polymers in Membrane Separations and Surface Science

Polymers are extremely versatile materials.  The relationship between their chemical and physical structure and their properties is highly complex.  This complexity offers tremendous challenges and opportunities.

Polymers are used in the form of membranes in advanced separation processes.  The promise of membrane separations is to selectively separate components from a feed stream, and to do so with a minimum of energy used.  This is a promise that is extremely important for low effluent environmentally benign industrial processing.

Other important polymer properties relate to surfaces and interfaces.  These properties are not only important in some membrane separation processes but in a wide variety of applications.  Separation of polymeric inks from recycled paper and nonimpact printing with new materials are examples. Another example is the fouling of polymeric membranes by macromolecules that adsorb from solution.