In Braeutigam group, micro-, ultra- and nanofiltration with ceramic membranes is used, for example, to separate (mineral) oil-water emulsions such as cooling lubricant emulsions in the metalworking industry or to separate (micro-)pollutants from water.
In addition to process optimization, the surface modification of the separating active layer plays a central role. Typically, (perfluorinated) silanes are used for this purpose, which have various environmentally relevant, functional and economic problem areas. In our research group, new environmentally friendly coatings are being developed which are more stable and less expensive compared to the state of the art, and which can be obtained from renewable raw materials. Furthermore, different functionalities such as surface polarity or heavy metal complexation can be integrated via these coatings and thus be tailored for different processes.
