Recent Advances in Stimuli-Responsive Smart Membranes for Nanofiltration

Nanofiltration membrane plays an increasingly important role in many industrial applications, such as water treatment and resource recovery. The performance of the smart nanofiltration membrane is largely controlled by pore size, the Donnan effect, and surface wettability, which are determined by the function of stimuli-responsive components. Smart membranes, which contain stimuli-responsive components, are capable of changing their physical and chemical properties in response to changes in the environment so that the microstructure of the membrane will have more efficient performances and broader application prospects than the current traditional nanofiltration membranes. Herein, the preparation methods of stimuli-responsive membranes are described and they are systematically classified accordingly to their mechanisms. Moreover, the latest progress of stimuli-responsive membranes in nanofiltration and the main mechanism of each stimuli-response type through relevant examples are discussed and summarized. Finally, this review provides new insights into the remaining challenges and future directions of stimuli-responsive membranes. Fueled by advances in chemistry and materials science, it is expected to build a smart and efficient nanofiltration membrane platform for the benefit of mankind.