Current Trends and Future Developments on (Bio-) Membranes

Angelo Basile, a Chemical Engineer, is a senior Researcher at the ITM-CNR where is responsible of the research related to both the ultra-pure hydrogen production and CO2 capture using Pd-based Membrane Reactors. Basile is also Editor associate of the Int. J. Hydrogen Energy and Editor-in-chief of the Int. J. Membrane Science & Technol. and Editor-in-chief of Membrane Processes (Applications), a section of the international journal Membranes: Basile also prepared 42 special issues on membrane science and technology for many international journals (IJHE, Chem Eng. J., Cat. Today, etc.). He participated to and was/is responsible of many national and international projects on membrane reactors and membrane science. Basile served as Director of the ITM-CNR during the period Dec. 2008 – May 2009. In the last years, he was tutor of 30 Thesis for master and Ph.D. students at the Chemical Engineering Department of the University of Calabria (Italy). From 2014, Basile is Full Professor of Chemical Engineering Processes. Dr. Alberto Figoli obtained his PhD degree at Membrane Technology Group, Twente University (Enschede, The Netherlands) in 2001. He graduated in Food Science and Technology at the Agriculture University of Milan 1996. Since December 2001, he has a permanent position as Researcher at Institute on Membrane Technology (ITM-CNR) in Rende (CS), Italy.He also had international experience in industrial research labs: about 1 year (1996) at Quest International Nederland B.V. (ICI), Process Research Group, Naarden (The Netherlands) on “Setting of a pilot plant for aromatic compounds extraction using the pervaporation (PV) membrane technology”; Secondment in 2010 and 2011 at GVS, SpA, Bologna, within the EU project “Implementation of Membrane Technology to Industry” (IMETI) on “Preparation and Characterisation of hybrid membranes for VOCs removal”.He was granted for the “Short Term Mobility Programme” by CNR, in 2004 and 2005, at the “Environmental Protection Agency of United States (USEPA)”, Sustainable Technology Division, Cincinnati (USA) on “Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and aroma removal using a novel asymmetric membrane by pervaporation” nell’ambito dello “Short Term Mobility Programme” funded CNR.He is responsible and involved in various National and International projects. He is also responsible, within the CNR organisation, for two research lines on membrane preparation and characterisation and on pervaporation (PV) applications.He is author of more than 60 research papers in peer reviewed journals, several book chapters, a book, two patents and many oral presentations (also as invited lecture) in National and International Conferences and Workshops. Yongdan Li serves as the Professor of Industrial Chemistry in Aalto University, Finland. In the academic community, he serves as the Associate Editor of Catalysis Today and the Editorial Board Member of a number of international journals. He served as the Professor of Industrial Catalysis and Changjiang Chair in Tianjin University, China for 24 years. The focus of his research is on the development of catalytic reactors and processes for energy conversion, including membrane reactors and processes. In recent years, he guided active research projects on CO2 separation from flue gas based on membrane processes, syngas production with catalytic membrane reactors, photo catalytic water splitting, lignin de-polymerization, solid oxide fuel cell with non-hydrogen fuels, direct carbon fuel cell, selective catalytic reduction of NOx with ammonia, and non-aqueous flow batteries. The purpose of his efforts is to increase the efficiency of energy conversion both for renewable and fossil resources. The keys are the design principles of catalysts, membranes, films and reactors. Those are the scientific bases in multiscale and are the frontier topics in chemistry, physics and engineering disciplines.

• 1. CO2 Emission and air pollution (VOC, etc) related problems climate change2. Membranes and Membrane Reactor for CO2 removal3. Air pollution (VOC, etc) and climate change4. Membranes for air treatment5. Fuel and Hydrogen related problems6. Fuel and Hydrogen treatment and production by membranes7. Metals toxic pollutants in the environment: Anthropogenic and Geological causes8. Membranes for toxic and heavy metals removal9. Wastewater problems and treatments10. Membrane processes for wastewater remediation11. Aquatic/Water Environment, treatment and use (i.e. plastics in the seawater, etc)12. Seawater treatment and energy production by membranes13. Bio-based and agriculture resources and waste production14. Bio-refinery by membrane processes15. General Catalyst related issues16. Membrane Reactors