Join ISF and the Department of Mechanical Engineering for a guest lecture by Dr. Razi Epsztein

Day: Thursday, July 10th

Time: 11:30-12:45

Location: Burton Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship, Room 129

Title: Targeting solute-solute selectivity in membrane separation

Abstract: Synthetic dense membranes with pores at the sub-nanometre scale are at the core of processes for separating solutes from water, such as water purification and desalination. While these membrane processes have achieved substantial industrial success, the capability of state-of-the-art membranes to achieve high selectivity between solutes is limited. Such high-precision separation would enable fit-for-purpose treatment, improving the sustainability of current water-treatment processes and opening doors for new applications of membrane technologies. In this talk, Dr. Epsztein will introduce the challenges of state-of-the-art membranes to achieve high selectivity between solutes. He will then discuss his lab's current attempts to promote solute-solute selectivity in membrane separation using improved process and membrane design, which are inspired by the team's recent insights into the selectivity mechanisms in dense membranes.

Bio: Razi Epsztein is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. He earned his BSc and MSc degrees from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and completed his PhD at the Technion, followed by postdoctoral training in the lab of Prof. Menachem Elimelech at Yale University. His research focuses on membrane-based processes for water and wastewater treatment, with particular emphasis on the fundamental mechanisms of molecular transport and selectivity in membranes and nanopores. Building on these insights, his group develops advanced membranes and separation processes with enhanced ion selectivity, including the design of ion-specific membranes that recognize target ions through tailored binding sites and molecular interactions.

Register here for hospitality planning.