Menachem Elimelech
Research ScientistCards
About
Research
Publications
2025
Ceramic-carbon Janus membrane for robust solar-thermal desalination
Dong Y, Violet C, Sun C, Li X, Sun Y, Zheng Q, Tang C, Elimelech M. Ceramic-carbon Janus membrane for robust solar-thermal desalination. Nature Communications 2025, 16: 2659. PMID: 40102428, PMCID: PMC11920389, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-57888-2.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchJanus membraneDesalination performanceDistillation membranesStable water fluxMembrane surface temperatureEnhanced desalination performanceSolar-thermal efficiencyAccelerate water evaporationMechanism of Knudsen diffusionWater fluxEnergy efficiencyEnhanced performanceSolar-thermal conversionSalt rejectionTemperature polarizationPermeate sideInterfacial temperatureSimulation resultsViscous flowKnudsen diffusionWater purificationWater vapor moleculesDecreased hydrogen bondingDesalinationMembrane poresRelating Solute–Membrane Electrostatic Interactions to Solute Permeability in Reverse Osmosis Membranes
Cao T, Wang L, Pataroque K, Wang R, Elimelech M. Relating Solute–Membrane Electrostatic Interactions to Solute Permeability in Reverse Osmosis Membranes. Environmental Science And Technology 2025, 59: 5819-5828. PMID: 40070342, DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c13212.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRO membranesCellulose triacetateSalt rejectionPA membraneReverse osmosisElectrostatic interactionsSolution pHReverse osmosis membranesDonnan potentialSolute transportSolute permeabilityNeutral moleculesOsmosis membranesCellulose triacetate membraneHigher solution pHSalt permeabilityMembrane-solution interfaceWater desalinationCo ionsSolute-membrane interactionsMembrane charge densityAcidic conditionsCharge densityNeutral solute transportDonnan effectIon selectivity in brackish groundwater desalination by electrodialysis: Experiments and theory
Shocron A, Monat L, Januszewski B, Dykstra J, Elimelech M, Nir O. Ion selectivity in brackish groundwater desalination by electrodialysis: Experiments and theory. Journal Of Membrane Science 2025, 719: 123668. DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2024.123668.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchIon selectivityFlow channelNon-equilibrium effectsDesalination of brackish waterIon partitioningPost-treatment processIon-exchange membranesBrackish groundwater desalinationIncreasing current densityReverse osmosisSolute rejectionGlobal water shortageMass transport calculationsExchange membraneElectrodialysis systemCurrent densityElectrodialysisDesalinationGroundwater desalinationBrackish groundwaterExperimental measurementsBoundary layerMass transportIonsMembrane surfaceDual-substrate synergistic catalysis for highly efficient water purification
Shi L, Huang G, Wang Z, Duan Y, Zhang Y, Chen J, Li W, Yu H, Elimelech M. Dual-substrate synergistic catalysis for highly efficient water purification. Nature Water 2025, 3: 345-353. DOI: 10.1038/s44221-025-00400-3.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchEfficient water purificationElectron transferWater purificationTraditional advanced oxidation processesInterfacial electron transferSynergistic catalysis strategyElectron transfer reactionsEngineering of catalystsHeterogeneous catalytic processesNon-radical oxidationAdvanced oxidation processesOxidation of pollutantsSynergistic catalysis systemCatalysis strategySynergistic catalysisCatalysis systemSubstrate activation processCatalytic processTransfer reactionsCatalystByproduct formationOxidation processSynergistic effectEfficient activationTheoretical analysisApproaching infinite selectivity in membrane-based aqueous lithium extraction via solid-state ion transport
Patel S, Iddya A, Pan W, Qian J, Elimelech M. Approaching infinite selectivity in membrane-based aqueous lithium extraction via solid-state ion transport. Science Advances 2025, 11: eadq9823. PMID: 40020050, PMCID: PMC11870030, DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adq9823.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSolid-state electrolytesLithium extractionHopping of lithium ionsPart-per-billion detection limitsIon-ion selectivityLimitations of mass spectrometryIon transportNext-generation membranesLithium-ionIon migrationPart-per-billionExtract lithiumIon-ionLithium supplyMass spectrometryBattery technologySelectivity valuesMembrane transport propertiesLithiumMembrane materialsNanoporous membranesTransport propertiesIonsElectrolyteSpectrometryCopper Single-Atom Catalyst on Nanoconfined Ceramic Membranes for Fenton-Like Removal of Organic Contaminants
Hedtke T, Zhang Y, Beebe M, Rigby K, Meese A, Elimelech M, Kim J. Copper Single-Atom Catalyst on Nanoconfined Ceramic Membranes for Fenton-Like Removal of Organic Contaminants. ACS ES&T Engineering 2025 DOI: 10.1021/acsestengg.4c00843.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSingle-atom catalystsAdvanced oxidation processesFenton-like advanced oxidation processesEnhanced catalytic performanceStable catalytic activityImproved mass transfer efficiencyRemoval of organic contaminantsAnodic aluminum oxide membranesReduced membrane pore sizeCopper catalystCatalytic performanceNanoscale catalystsAluminum oxide membranesMembrane pore sizeMass transfer efficiencyCatalytic activityCatalytic membraneCatalystBenzoic acidOperational durabilityOxide membranesCeramic membranesNanoscale spaceNanometer-sized poresOxidation processGypsum heterogenous nucleation pathways regulated by surface functional groups and hydrophobicity
Guan Y, Hong X, Karanikola V, Wang Z, Pan W, Wu H, Wang F, Yu H, Elimelech M. Gypsum heterogenous nucleation pathways regulated by surface functional groups and hydrophobicity. Nature Communications 2025, 16: 713. PMID: 39820035, PMCID: PMC11739488, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-55993-w.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSurface functional groupsGypsum formationSurface-induced nucleationSelf-assembled monolayersIon adsorption sitesFormation of gypsum crystalsFunctional groupsIn situ microscopyGypsum nucleationOH functional groupsHydrophilic surfaceGypsum crystalsTemporal-spatial resolutionFormation mechanismGypsumIndustrial processesNucleationMolecular dynamics simulationsHydrophobic surfaceHeterogeneous nucleation pathwayNucleation pathwayLimitations of experimental techniquesSurfaceExperimental techniquesDynamics simulationsA highly selective and energy efficient approach to boron removal overcomes the Achilles heel of seawater desalination
Pan W, Roy D, Uralcan B, Patel S, Iddya A, Ahn E, Haji-Akbari A, Kamcev J, Elimelech M. A highly selective and energy efficient approach to boron removal overcomes the Achilles heel of seawater desalination. Nature Water 2025, 3: 99-109. DOI: 10.1038/s44221-024-00362-y.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchHydroxyl groupsImproved electrode performanceMolecular dynamics simulationsBoron selectivityPristine electrodeHydrogen bondsElectrode performanceFunctional electrodesElectrosorption processIon-exchange adsorptionMicroporous electrodesDynamics simulationsFunctional groupsOxygen-containingRemoval selectivityTrace contaminantsElectrosorptionBoron removalElectrodeBoron removal performanceBoronHydroxylBoron removal methodsRemoval of trace contaminantsReverse osmosisDialysis opens a new pathway for high-salinity organic wastewater treatment
Chen Y, Wang L, del Cerro M, Wang L, Zhang X, Elimelech M, Wang Z. Dialysis opens a new pathway for high-salinity organic wastewater treatment. Nature Water 2025, 3: 49-58. DOI: 10.1038/s44221-024-00368-6.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchHigh-salinity organic wastewaterOrganic wastewaterConventional wastewater treatment processesOrganic wastewater treatmentExcellent fouling resistanceWastewater treatment processesWastewater treatment schemesApplication of hydraulic pressurePassage of saltCountercurrent flow modeBench-scale experimentsFouling resistanceMembrane foulingWastewater treatmentWastewater streamsFlow modeHydraulic pressureTreatment processWastewaterOrganic substancesWater transportFoulingUltrafiltrationFractional saltingInnovative solutions
2024
Tuning Metal–Organic Framework Linker Chemistry for Transition Metal Ion Separations
Violet C, Parkinson M, Ball A, Kulik H, Fortner J, Elimelech M. Tuning Metal–Organic Framework Linker Chemistry for Transition Metal Ion Separations. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 2024, 17: 1911-1921. PMID: 39682030, DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c16173.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMetal-organic frameworksUiO-66-XTransition metal ionsIon separationMetal ionsSolvent-assisted linker exchangeParent metal-organic frameworkDensity functional theory calculationsFunctional groupsBinding energyUiO-66-(COOH)<sub>2</subIon binding energiesMetal ion separationUiO-66-COOHUiO-66 derivativesLinker chemistryPost-synthetic modificationCarboxylic acid groupsIncorporation of carboxylic acid groupsQuartz crystal microbalanceLinker exchangeUiO-66Pore windowsHigh selectivityMaterials chemistry
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
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