Mission of the Institute for Membrane Technology (ITM) is the research and development in the field of science and engineering of membranes. The research activities aim to promote knowledge, innovation, and high-level training in the field of membranes and their application to water treatment, gas separation, bioartificial organs, biotechnology, food, and agriculture.
Membrane technologies are applied to strategic fields, achieving then a leading role with a more than 20% annual growth. ITM has established collaborations with various Research Institutes, Universities, and Companies located in Italy, Europe, Middle East, China, South Korea, Japan, India, Brazil, United States, and Australia. This reflects a remarkable ability to attract funds for research, development and high education, affecting the socio-economic and cultural environment. ITM attracts many researchers from renowned foreign Universities and Research Institutions, generating a dynamic and multicultural environment that enriches and stimulates further the activities of the Institute.
With more than 100 researchers (including 30 permanent staff, 37 research contracts, 4 associated professors, 8 PhD students, 39 foreign visiting scientists, 14 master students, 12 trainees), (ITM Staff), ITM is internationally recognized for its peculiar skills in membrane technology covering a wide range of applications and research activities.
The research topics are mainly focused on the study and development of:
- Advanced membranes, including polymeric, inorganic, mixed matrix, imprinted, biohybrid, bioinspired, and (bio)catalytic membranes
- Nanostructured and nanocomposite polymeric membranes for gas and vapor separation
- Catalytic membrane reactors in CO2 conversion and fuels production, including hydrogen and methanol, bioethanol biofuels
- Multiscale modelling and simulation of transport phenomena in membranes
- Membrane contactors, membrane dryer membrane crystallizers, membrane emulsification, membrane condenser
- Novel catalytic systems and functional membranes for eco-friendly oxidations
- Membrane operations and integrated systems in water, agro-food, energy and industrial gas
- Membranes and membrane operations for bioartificial organs, regenerative medicine and tissue engineering
- Membrane and membrane operations in biotechnology, membrane bioreactors, biofunctionalized membranes, biosensors, biorefinery
Excellence of the Institute
ITM is internationally recognized as a centre of excellence in the field of membrane science and technology. The scientific achievements are published in leading journals in the field of membrane science, engineering, related subject areas and in the most prestigious journals, such as Nature Materials, Science and others.
ITM’s international prestige is also testified by the involvement of researchers in the editorial board of ISI journals, editing of encyclopaedia and books published by Wiley, Elsevier, De Gruyter, Springer, etc. ITM is partner and coordinator of European, transnational, international and national projects (projects).
The institute is characterized by a high internationalization profile, attracting annually numerous visiting scientists from abroad. Within this context, one of the successes is represented by the joint international laboratory for membrane technology in cooperation with Hanyang University in Seul, South Korea.