Research

Membrane research and development

functional polymer materials

With our research we aim at establishing foundations for and contributing to the development of novel or improved polymer-based materials for applications in water purification, bioseparation, sensing, surface protection or energy conversion.

We use or adapt advanced methods in polymer and colloid chemistry to synthesize building blocks or to tailor surface-anchored layers with controlled structure, architecture and thus functionality. This basis is utilized to prepare functional materials such as membranes, adsorbers or coatings with tailored properties according to the requirements of the intended applications. The obtained materials are characterized and evaluated with respect to their performance, for instance for water desalination, for protein purification, as antifouling coating, for stimuli-responsive release of active compounds or as catalytic nanocomposite.