Typical examples are oil-water separation, particle removal and salconcentrations. In the Ceramics Group, membranes and membrane processes are developed for processes as those described above. These membranes are typically made of ceramic oxide materials. The membrane is usually a thin selective layer supported on a mechanically strong substrate. This so-called asymmetric structure minimises the resistance to flow through the membrane.
Porous membranes can separate molecules by size or due to chemical interaction with the surface.
Inorganic non-porous membranes, with selective dissolution and diffusion processes, are typically membranes for separation of oxygen or hydrogen. The group is also managing a Membrane Forum with participants from industry and academia which promotes membrane knowledge and technology in industry. The Ceramics Group has broad contact to European, US and Japanese research groups. Two professors at the University of Oslo are advisers to the Ceramics Group.