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Boron is an essential micronutrient necessary for the growth and development of plants, animals, and humans, while also playing a critical role in industries such as manufacturing, agriculture, and semiconductors. However, while beneficial in trace amounts, excessive boron levels can be toxic. High concentrations in drinking water pose significant health risks, particularly to reproductive and developmental systems, while boron contamination in industrial water supplies can degrade process efficiency and product quality. Current methods for boron removal, such as reverse osmosis and ion exchange, face significant limitations. Reverse osmosis struggles to remove boron efficiently, especially in seawater desalination, often requiring multiple stages and high energy consumption to achieve acceptable levels. Ion exchange resins pose low loading capacity and require massive harsh chemicals for regeneration.  The proposed boron absorption technology provides a solution that efficiently removes boron from diverse water sources, including seawater and wastewater. It effectively reduces boron levels to meet stringent standards, such as drinking water limits of less than 0.5 mg/L. The technology aligns with sustainability goals, consuming fewer chemicals and exhibiting strong recovery stability. Additionally, the proposed absorbent is flexible, customizable and compatible with various water treatment applications. The technology owner seeks partnerships to integrate this solution into existing water treatment systems or collaborate on industrial-scale demonstration projects to address boron contamination across multiple sectors. High Efficiency: Effectively reduces boron concentrations in various water sources, including seawater and wastewater, meeting stringent standards (e.g., <0.5 mg/L for drinking water). Sustainability: Consumes trace chemicals during the process and offers robust regeneration stability. Flexible & Customizable: Sponge-like composite, elastic and flexible, allowing easy scalability for large-scale applications. Cost-Effective: The technology lowers operational costs due to its high performance and reduced chemical usage. Desalination Plants: Particularly useful in seawater desalination, where boron concentrations must be reduced to meet drinking water standards. Drinking Water Systems: Ensures that water meets strict regulatory standards. Industrial Wastewater Treatment: Removes boron from industrial effluents, especially in sectors that release boron-laden waste, ensuring compliance with environmental regulations. Semiconductor Industry: Used to purify water in semiconductor manufacturing, where trace amounts of boron can affect production quality. Superior Boron Removal Efficiency: Achieves boron concentrations below 0.5 mg/L, meeting stringent drinking water standards, which is a challenge for existing methods like reverse osmosis and ion exchange. Cost-Effectiveness: The high-performance absorbent minimizes chemical input during regeneration, contributing to both cost reduction and sustainability. Robust Recovery and Stability: Exhibits strong regeneration stability over >15 cycles, maintaining its high performance. boron removal, column adsorption, low environmental footprint, flexible, sustainable Environment, Clean Air & Water, Filter Membrane & Absorption Material, Sustainability, Sustainable Living

Current state-of-the-art lab-scale methods for fabricating superhydrophobic membranes for membrane distillation often involve complex surface modifications or the use of nanomaterials. However, these methods are difficult to scale up. This technology relates to a pure rheological spray-assisted non-solvent induced phase separation (SANIPS) approach to fabricate superhydrophobic polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes. The resulting membranes have high porosity, superhydrophobicity, high liquid entry pressure, and hierarchical micro/nanostructures. They can also be easily scaled up. The spraying step caused local distortion of the membrane surface, which induced a two-stage phase inversion. This led to the formation of multilevel polymeric crystal structures. The morphological structures and other membrane properties (e.g., mechanical strength and liquid entry pressure) could be tuned by applying spraying materials with different physicochemical properties. This facile fabrication method will pave the way for the large-scale production of superhydrophobic membranes for membrane distillation. Flat sheet membrane: Fabricated from commercial PVDF polymer. Superhydrophobic. High liquid entry pressure. One-step fabrication of the membrane with online modification of the membrane surface. Modules: Industrial-scale modules available. Customized modular design. Spiral-wound modules. Treatment of high salinity waters from mining, metal treatment, pharmaceutical, chemical synthesis, and oil and gas operations. Achieve zero-liquid discharge (ZLD) in industrial processes. Desalination of seawater or brackish water. Treat brine that is produced as a byproduct of desalination. Membrane distillation (MD) is a membrane technology that uses the vapor pressure gradient across a porous hydrophobic membrane to separate water from other components. MD offers several advantages over other membrane separation processes, including: Lower operating pressures Insensitivity to feed concentration for seawater desalination Almost 100% rejection of solutes Relatively low operating temperatures These advantages have led to promising results in MD processes for zero-liquid discharge, desalination, desalination brine treatment, and many other wastewater treatment applications. However, the commercialization of MD has been constrained by the lack of commercially available high-performance MD membranes and high energy consumption. This work addresses the lack of commercially available high-performance MD membranes and has the potential to be the next workhorse of the water industry. Treatment of difficult streams which is not possible with other conventional methods Usage of waste heat High surface area to volume ratio compared to the plate and frame membrane distillation as the current work is in the spiral-wound configuration Proven method of translating membrane fabrication from lab-scale to industrial-scale phase inversion (PI) casting line Readily available industrial-scale process settings to fabricate membrane of one meter in width and several hundreds of meter in length. Membrane Distillation, wastewater treatment Environment, Clean Air & Water, Filter Membrane & Absorption Material

Heavy metal pollution is a significant environmental issue with detrimental health effects even at low concentrations. The bipolar nanoporous membrane features a triple-layer structure, comprising a membrane base layer, a selective layer, and a protective layer. This technology relates to a compact, bipolar nanoporous membrane that effectively removes dissolved heavy metal ions from industrial wastewater and drinking water. This configuration allows the membrane to efficiently adsorb and reject charged pollutants and heavy metal ions while minimizing fouling through its antifouling properties. To implement this technology, a portable water filtration bottle has been specifically designed, fabricated, and evaluated. The filtration bottle incorporates a single-stage bipolar nanoporous membrane module, serving as a reusable filter. The technology demonstrates rejection rates (>95%) for divalent and trivalent heavy metal ions such as Arsenic (As), Copper (Cu2+), Cadmium (Cd2+), Lead (Pb2+), and Chromium (Cr3+) at concentrations ranging from 20 ppm to 100 ppm. The compact and low-pressure nature of this technology makes it highly versatile and suitable for various applications. It offers a convenient and reusable filtration solution for industrial wastewater treatment and the purification of drinking water. By effectively addressing the challenge of heavy metal pollution, this technology contributes to environmental protection and safeguarding human health. Overall, this advanced water filtration solution combines the advantages of a bipolar nanoporous membrane and a portable filtration system. Its exceptional rejection capabilities, energy efficiency, and versatility make it a promising tool in mitigating heavy metal contamination and ensuring access to clean and safe water. The technology provider is looking for interested parties from the water industry to license or acquire this technology. The developed technology for the removal of dissolved heavy metal ions using a compact, bipolar nanoporous membrane offers the following key features and specifications: Triple Layer Configuration: The bipolar nanoporous membrane utilizes a triple layer structure, comprising a membrane base layer, a selective layer, and a protective layer. This configuration enables efficient adsorption and rejection of charged pollutants and heavy metal ions while minimizing fouling. High Rejection Rates: The technology demonstrates high rejection rates (>95%) for divalent and trivalent heavy metal ions, including Arsenic, Copper, Cadmium, Lead, and Chromium. It effectively removes these contaminants from wastewater and drinking water sources. Low-Pressure Operation: The portable filtration system operates at a low working pressure of less than 1.5 bar, making it energy-efficient and suitable for various applications. Wide Concentration Range: The technology can effectively remove heavy metal ions at concentrations ranging from 20 ppm to 100 ppm, providing versatility in different water treatment scenarios. Compact and Portable Design: The technology is incorporated into a compact, low-pressure portable water filtration bottle, enabling convenient and on-the-go purification of drinking water. These features and specifications emphasize the efficiency, versatility, and convenience of the technology, making it a valuable solution for the removal of dissolved heavy metal ions in drinking water applications. The developed technology for the removal of dissolved heavy metal ions using a compact, bipolar nanoporous membrane has potential applications in various industries and sectors. Some of the industries where this technology can be deployed include: Residential and Consumer Use: The portable water filtration bottle equipped with bipolar membrane technology can be marketed for consumer use, allowing individuals to purify their drinking water at home, during travel, or in outdoor activities. Food and Beverage: The technology can be applied in the food and beverage industry to ensure the removal of heavy metal contaminants from water sources used in production and processing, ensuring the safety and quality of the final products. Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals: Hospitals, laboratories, and pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities can utilize this technology to remove heavy metals from their wastewater, ensuring environmental protection and compliance with regulations. High rejection rates (>95%) for divalent and trivalent heavy metal ions. Low-Pressure Operation Concentrations ranging from 20 ppm to 100 ppm Compact and Portable Design for portable water filtration bottle. Reusability and Cost-Effectiveness membrane, heavy metal, filtration Environment, Clean Air & Water, Filter Membrane & Absorption Material

Thin film composite (TFC) membranes are the main membrane types for reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) membranes. RO membranes can be used for desalination, utility water treatment, wastewater treatment and reuse as well as process water treatment. NF membranes can allow monovalent ions, such as sodium chloride, to pass through the membrane, while rejecting divalent and multivalent ions, such as sodium sulfate. It has applications in the diary, food, dye, biotech, pharmaceutical and industrial processes for concentrating targeted streams. Boosting membrane permeability without a decrease in their rejection to target ions has been the objective of many membrane producers. Many methods have been proposed in literature to achieve the target, such as incorporating nanoparticles or surfactants. However, the synthesis of uniform nanoparticles in large scale is a problem and the long-term stability of nanoparticles in the polyamide layer is of concern. The process of adding surfactants is also not controllable, leading to a potential concern for quality control in the final membrane product. This invention relates to a simple method to increase the water permeability of thin film composite membranes for nanofiltration and reverse osmosis by 2 to 5 times. The chemicals involved are readily commercially available and the method is simple without the need to change the existing production line. In this technology, the researchers have identified additives that are thermodynamically stable and can be synthesised with a narrow size distribution. Compared to surfactants, the additives have controllable size, which can help fabricate nanofiltration membrane with precise rejection to target ions. These features can facilitate future large scale production of the improved TFC membrane. This invention can be applied to all types of TFC membranes, including NF and RO membranes, which can be used for desalination, utility water treatment, wastewater treatment, etc.  According to MarketsandMarkets, the global membranes market is projected to reach USD10.1 billion by 2027. NF membranes are expected to grow the fastest with multiple end users. The water and wastewater treatment segment is the main driver for the RO membrane market. The global RO membrane market size is expected to reach about USD5 billion by 2026.  Water permeability can be increased by 2-5 times with minimal trade-off of salt rejection of the membrane Does not require changes to the existing production line Works on support with different chemistries (e.g. PES, PSF) Works on both flat sheet and hollow fiber supports   Nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, Thin film composite (TFC) membranes, nanofiltration (NF) membranes Materials, Composites, Environment, Clean Air & Water, Filter Membrane & Absorption Material

Water-repellent materials have attracted a lot of attention due to their importance in various applications, such as oil-water separation for oil waste treatment, self-cleaning for corrosion prevention, and microfluidics for electronics and medical devices. Surface modification can be applied to existing materials to introduce water repellency. However, industrial applications of conventional methods are very limited due to low reaction efficiency, high costs of chemical reagents, and instability for recovery/reuse.  To overcome the limitations, the technology owner has developed a new photochemical coating technology using visible light as an excitation source and low-cost chemicals as raw material. The invented coating technology can transform a wide variety of materials into versatile functional materials with excellent water repellency and oil attraction, providing a cost-effective solution to fabricate water-repellent materials. The technology is available for IP licensing and R&D collaboration with industrial partners who are looking for a cost-effective solution for the development of water-repellent and oil-absorbing materials. The technology owner adopts a two-step photochemical coating method using low-cost chemicals and visible light. Surface pre-treatment has also been applied so the surface modification can be applied to a wide range of surfaces, such as paper, wood, glass, natural fibers, textiles, and cement-based materials.  The features of this technology are: Low-cost and readily accessible chemicals High effectiveness (less than 0.1 wt% of coating attached on the surface) Improved hydrophobic function compared to single-step thermal method Applicable to a wide range of natural and synthetic materials Produce patterned coating by using a suitable photomask This technology can be applied to the development of functional water-repellent materials with selective oil absorption. The potential applications include but are not limited to: Environmental sector: oil pollution treatment, remediation of marine oil spills Aquaculture industry: grease cleaning, oil waste treatment Food industry: aqueous/organic biphasic separation Construction industry: waterproof cement, exterior and interior decoration Water-repellent products: filter paper, cardboard, textile, plant-based and polymer-based sponge Cost-effective method using low-cost chemicals and visible light Applicable to a wide range of natural and synthetic materials Development of functional materials with water-repellency, selective oil-absorbing and self-cleaning properties  The technology is available for IP licensing and R&D collaboration with industrial partners who are looking for a cost-effective solution for the development of water-repellent and oil-absorbing materials. Chemicals, Coatings & Paints, Environment, Clean Air & Water, Filter Membrane & Absorption Material, Manufacturing, Surface Finishing & Modification

Spent coffee grounds are one of the major food waste produced globally with several million tonnes being discarded annually. It has been reported that only 6% of the original coffee cherry can be used to make a cup of coffee and the remaining balance are inedible and has no value to the industry. As such, a large amount of residue is currently generated from the coffee industry and disposed of at incineration plants or landfills.   This technology features a cost-effective and scalable thermochemical process to transform spent coffee grounds into carbon-rich solid materials, known as hydrochar, as a form of low-cost solid adsorbents for industrial wastewater treatment. Thermochemical processes are well suited for wet biomass such as spent coffee grounds and utilises mild temperature profiles under relatively low pressures. The process also has the potential to convert other kinds of food waste, such as durian husks, coconut husks, fruit peels etc, into hydrochar.This presents a sustainable solution for creating a circular economy and minimising negative impact on the environment by converting non-edible and no value food waste into a value-added product for food and water industries. The technology relates to an innovative and custom-designed thermochemical reactor capable of converting the spent coffee grounds into solid adsorbents also known as hydrochar. Hydrochar particles produced have the following attributes which include a robust mesoporous framework, higher surface area, and functionalised removal of cations, anions and organic pollutants in wastewater. Up to 80% of the organics and chemical oxygen demand can be removed after passing through the hydrochar. After water treatment usage, hydrochar can be repurposed as a soil conditioner which helps in plant germination, closing the loop on food waste. The thermochemical reactor is also capable of converting other food wastes including durian husks, coconut husks, fruit peels, and other non-edible food waste. The technology can be adopted in the food and beverage industry that are looking to upcycle the non-edible and no value food waste into value-added products, such as solid adsorbents. The carbon-rich material, hydrochar, presents a sustainable alternative as the low-cost adsorbent that can attract interest from sectors that require treatment of reject and backwash water. These include industries from semiconductors, petrochemicals, wastewater treatment, desalination, and textiles. Offers a cost-effective process to produce higher value-added products from food waste, creating a circular economy Reduced disposal cost Revenue creation from waste Tailor-made design of thermochemical reactor to produce higher surface area and better efficiency of solid adsorbents from food waste Highly scalable hydrochar, wastewater treatment, sustainable, circular economy, adsorbents, spent coffe grounds, food waste, valorisation, thermochemical Environment, Clean Air & Water, Filter Membrane & Absorption Material, Chemicals, Organic, Waste Management & Recycling, Food & Agriculture Waste Management, Industrial Waste Management, Sustainability, Circular Economy