Menachem Elimelech
Research ScientistCards
About
Research
Publications
2026
Solar-thermal membrane distillation: Opportunities and challenges
Rolf J, Floyd J, Chomiak T, He Z, Xin R, Fuentes N, Zuo K, Wang J, Alrehaili O, Alghanayem R, El-Fadl M, El-Naggar M, Walker W, Jassby D, Perreault F, Elimelech M, Ali M, Said I, Li Q. Solar-thermal membrane distillation: Opportunities and challenges. Desalination 2026, 626: 119960. DOI: 10.1016/j.desal.2026.119960.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMembrane distillationMD systemThermally driven separation processThermal desalination technologiesSolar energyLow-grade heatThermal energyPilot-scale studyMembrane wettingMD processDesalination technologiesEnergy-intensive treatmentsMD technologyStand-alone systemHydrophobic membraneLab-scaleVapor passageHigh energy consumptionWater purification methodsSeparation processUnconventional water sourcesCommercial limitationsNiche applicationsScale-up technologyMembrane surfaceRole of frictional forces in salt and water transport through polyamide reverse osmosis membranes
Pataroque K, Mahajan S, Mejia J, del Cerro M, Wu J, Fan H, Li Y, Hoek E, Elimelech M. Role of frictional forces in salt and water transport through polyamide reverse osmosis membranes. Journal Of Membrane Science 2026, 744: 125202. DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2026.125202.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchThin-film composite membranesFriction forcePore sizeSalt permeanceComposite membranesCommercial thin-film composite membranesPolyamide reverse osmosis membranesMolecular dynamicsReverse osmosis membranesMembrane pore sizeDead-end cellSalt partitioningQuartz crystal microbalanceWater permeanceOsmosis membranesSelf-diffusion coefficientIon membraneWater-membrane interactionsMembrane technologyFrictional interactionIon mobilityWater self-diffusion coefficientMD simulationsCrystal microbalancePermeanceInorganic Scaling in Electrodialysis: Mechanistic Insights and Impact on Energy Efficiency and Ion Selectivity
Pan W, Li K, Zhang J, Duan Y, Wang R, Dykstra J, Elimelech M. Inorganic Scaling in Electrodialysis: Mechanistic Insights and Impact on Energy Efficiency and Ion Selectivity. Environmental Science And Technology 2026 PMID: 41866715, DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5c16084.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchIon-exchange membranesInorganic scalingIon selectivityCurrent densityEnergy consumptionOperating conditionsDiluate solutionInput energyElectrodialysisSeparation technologySalt removalFlow rateMechanistic insightED systemEnergy efficiencyIonsScale effectsExperimental dataCompositional evolutionSolid-phase characterizationEnergyED performanceGypsum formationDiluateSelectionUltrathin crown ether-based polyamide membrane for ion-ion separations
Villalobos L, Zhang J, Lee J, Hall A, DuChanois R, Violet C, Cumings J, Zhong M, Elimelech M. Ultrathin crown ether-based polyamide membrane for ion-ion separations. Nature Communications 2026 PMID: 41862472, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-70431-1.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchIon-ion separationInterfacial polymerizationBiological ion channelsIon separationStable complexesIon-ionPolymeric membranesIonic speciesUltrathin membranesSpecific ionsCommercial membranesLiquid separationPolyamide membranesCrosslinking degreeIonsMixed-saltSeparationSorption experimentsUltrathinMacrocycleLithiumCationsPolymerizationDivalent cationsPotassiumPrecise regulation of missing linkers in MOF pervaporation membranes for desalination of hypersaline waters
Dong Y, De Finnda C, Fu M, Zheng X, Lyu Q, Zhao M, Wang H, Yu H, Elimelech M. Precise regulation of missing linkers in MOF pervaporation membranes for desalination of hypersaline waters. Nature Communications 2026 PMID: 41748612, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-69745-x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMetal-organic frameworksMOF-801Missing-linkSelection of metal-organic frameworksHost-guest interaction energyDesalination of hypersaline waterWater purification applicationsStable desalination performancePore cagesHigh water fluxPore windowsNanochannel membranePolycrystalline membranesEnergy barrierInteraction energyFormic acidPurification applicationsDesalination performanceSalt rejectionPervaporation membranesFast transportNucleation sitesWater fluxApplication potentialWater treatmentMethods for evaluating transport parameters of low-salt-rejection reverse osmosis (LSRRO) membranes
del Cerro M, Shocron A, Fan H, Gilron J, Elimelech M. Methods for evaluating transport parameters of low-salt-rejection reverse osmosis (LSRRO) membranes. Desalination 2026, 620: 119588. DOI: 10.1016/j.desal.2025.119588.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchLow-salt-rejection reverse osmosisLow salt rejectionNanofiltration membranesReverse osmosisCrossflow filtration experimentsCommercial nanofiltration membranesRejection of solutesHigh salinity applicationsEffective process designTransport equationFiltration performanceIndustrial waste streamsSolute rejectionHigh-salinity brineOperating conditionsReflection coefficientWater permeationProcess designTransport parametersDetermination of transport coefficientsFiltration experimentsAccurate solutionsMembrane behaviorOsmosisWater transport modelSelective boron removal from water by functional-polymer-film-assisted electrosorption
Pan W, Roy D, Jiao Z, Wang R, Patel S, Ahn E, Kamcev J, Elimelech M. Selective boron removal from water by functional-polymer-film-assisted electrosorption. Chemical Engineering Journal 2026, 529: 172928. DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2026.172928.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDensity functional theoryPolymeric filmsBoron removal methodsFunctional groupsPolyvinyl alcoholPristine electrodeFunctional theoryElectrosorption performanceElectrosorption capacityElectrode functionElectrosorption systemBinding energyRemoval methodElectrosorptionChloride ionsReverse osmosisElectrodeBoron removalIon exchangeBoron selectivityBoronFilmsEfficient removalContaminant removalIonsA multiscale perspective for understanding transport mechanisms in desalination and ion-selective membranes
Fan H, Parkinson M, Agrawal K, Barboiu M, Bocquet L, Getachew B, Li Q, Li Y, Lin S, Liu C, Noy A, Radha B, Schwahn D, Szymczyk A, Elimelech M. A multiscale perspective for understanding transport mechanisms in desalination and ion-selective membranes. Nature Water 2026, 4: 120-137. DOI: 10.1038/s44221-026-00585-1.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAtomistic resolutionState-of-the-art polymer membranesNext-generation membranesGreen hydrogen productionIon-selective membraneHeterogeneous porous networksMolecular-level mechanismsPolymer membranesHydrogen productionCharacterization techniquesAqueous separationsMolecular simulationsMacroscopic modelResource recoveryTransport phenomenaWastewater reuseMacroscopic scaleMultiscale modelMolecular scaleSolute transportContinuum theoryDesalinationBridge scalesKnowledge gapsState-of-the-artMacrocycle-assembled membranes for high-salinity organic wastewater treatment
Li Y, Duan Y, Yuan J, Ge L, Zhang X, Hou J, Zhang Y, Van der Bruggen B, Zhu J, Elimelech M. Macrocycle-assembled membranes for high-salinity organic wastewater treatment. Nature Communications 2026, 17: 1731. PMID: 41547671, PMCID: PMC12914030, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-68430-3.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchOrganic wastewater treatmentWastewater treatmentSuperior operational stabilityMacrocyclic monomersMacrocyclic moleculesControlled polymerizationReactive sitesDye/salt mixturesPolymeric membranesInterfacial polymerizationHydrogel surfaceAmphiphilic natureThree-dimensional cavityMembrane processesInterconnected membranesModerate reactivityOperational stabilityStructural robustnessTunable cavityResource recoveryPhase boundaryWater permeabilityWater reusePolymerizationBar-1Resilient high-temperature reverse osmosis desalination membranes
Wu J, Xiao M, He J, Tang R, Soares K, Hou Z, Wang X, Jassby D, Elimelech M, Hoek E. Resilient high-temperature reverse osmosis desalination membranes. Science Advances 2026, 12: eaea1505. PMID: 41533789, PMCID: PMC12802826, DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aea1505.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchThin-film compositeSalt rejectionConventional thin film compositeThin-film composite membranesHybrid desalination plantsIrreversible performance lossHigh-temperature streamsExposure to elevated temperaturesScanning electron microscopyHigh temperatureMicromechanical modelPolysulfone layerPolysulfone supportFailure mechanismThermal deformationRO desalinationComposite membranesFilm rupturePerformance lossPower generationDesalination plantsWater reuseElevated temperaturesElectron microscopyMolecular dynamics simulations