Chlorine-resistant sulfonated copolymer reverse osmosis
This technology is a new type of water filtration membrane made from a specially engineered plastic polymer that resists degradation by chlorine, which is commonly used to disinfect water systems. Traditional desalination membranes break down quickly when exposed to chlorine, requiring costly pre-treatment steps to remove it before water enters the membrane. By chemically building sulfonate groups directly into the polymer backbone before it is assembled into a membrane, rather than adding them afterward, this approach creates a material that is both water-permeable and durable against chlorine attack. The result is a membrane that can handle real-world municipal and industrial water chemistry without the same level of protective pre-treatment infrastructure.
What you could build
A drop-in replacement membrane element for reverse osmosis and nanofiltration systems used in municipal desalination, industrial water reuse, and drinking water treatment plants; primary buyers would be membrane module manufacturers and large water treatment equipment OEMs.
Who in Virginia should care
Virginia-based water utilities, municipal desalination projects in coastal Hampton Roads, and defense installations with on-site water treatment needs would be natural early adopters or pilot partners.
Readiness: Lab validated
Concept — described but not yet demonstrated. Lab validated — supported by experimental results in the patent. Prototype likely — the text describes a built, working embodiment.
Readiness is inferred from the patent text, not from a lab visit.
The record
- Inventors
- James E. McGrath, Ho Bum Park, Benny D. Freeman
- Granted
- October 4, 2011
- Status
- Granted patent
- Patent number
- 8028842
Ready to talk?
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties handles licensing for this technology.
Prosim summaries are generated from public patent text and are not legal advice.