Applications and outlook
Engineering of self-healing membranes

Direct applications in water filtration are currently being tested, as this would greatly improve health safety. It is also hoped to extend the life of membranes and thus limit the amount of non-recyclable waste. The idea of a universal membrane – one membrane for several filtration regimes – is particularly appealing and is finding a strong echo with membrane manufacturers, so it's an aspect currently being developed at the IEM. However, a membrane is a porous material that can also be used in many fields, and other applications are envisaged ranging from sensors to artificial organs, to give just two examples. There are still many points to be studied in order to understand and master this new type of membrane. For example, we are working on a 2 ^nde generation of this membrane system, retaining its dynamism but also having the ability to block...