Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Osmosis and Osmotic Pressure of Solutions02:40

Osmosis and Osmotic Pressure of Solutions

45.9K
A number of natural and synthetic materials exhibit selective permeation, meaning that only molecules or ions of a certain size, shape, polarity, charge, and so forth, are capable of passing through (permeating) the material. Biological cell membranes provide elegant examples of selective permeation in nature, while dialysis tubing used to remove metabolic wastes from blood is a more simplistic technological example. Regardless of how they may be fabricated, these materials are generally...
45.9K
Ion Exchange01:17

Ion Exchange

1.1K
Ion exchange chromatography separates charged molecules from a solution by reversibly exchanging them with mobile, or 'active', ions associated with the oppositely charged stationary phase. This method can be used to separate ions, soften and deionize water, and purify solutions. The polymers comprising the ion-exchange column are high-molecular-weight and chemically stable polymers, crosslinked to be porous and essentially insoluble. They are also functionalized with either acidic or...
1.1K
Quality of Water01:19

Quality of Water

504
In concrete preparation, the quality of water is paramount as it affects the strength and durability of the concrete. Potable water is usually preferred; however, it must not have excessive sodium or potassium to prevent compromising the concrete's integrity. Water quality is typically evaluated based on impurities such as dissolved solids, chlorides, and sulfates, and its pH value is ideally between 6 and 8. Even slightly acidic natural water may be acceptable unless it contains harmful...
504
Solvents01:12

Solvents

69.5K
A solvent is a substance, most often a liquid, that can dissolve other substances. Here, the substance being dissolved is called a solute. When a solvent and a solute combine, they form a solution - a homogenous mixture of both the solvent and the solute. Water is a universal biological solvent. Its polar structure allows it to dissolve many other polar compounds. The ability of water to dissolve is governed by a balance between water molecules binding to each other and binding to the solute.
A...
69.5K
Effect of Sea Water on Concrete01:22

Effect of Sea Water on Concrete

967
Concrete exposed to seawater can undergo degradation like the dissolution of ettringite and gypsum, increasing the material's porosity and decreasing its strength. In contrast, the crystallization of salts within the concrete's pores can cause expansion, particularly above the waterline where evaporation occurs. Nonetheless, this expansion only happens when seawater, enabled by the concrete's permeability, manages to infiltrate the structure.
Concrete in areas between tide marks,...
967
Factors Affecting Solubility04:01

Factors Affecting Solubility

36.6K
Compared with pure water, the solubility of an ionic compound is less in aqueous solutions containing a common ion (one also produced by dissolution of the ionic compound). This is an example of a phenomenon known as the common ion effect, which is a consequence of the law of mass action that may be explained using Le Chȃtelier’s principle. Consider the dissolution of silver iodide:
36.6K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Characterizing Hydrated Polymers via Dielectric Relaxation Spectroscopy: Connecting Relative Permittivity, State of Water, and Salt Transport Properties of Sulfonated Polysulfones.

Macromolecules·2026
Same author

The Influence of Ion Solvation and Association Interactions on Mean Ionic Activity Coefficients in Neutral Polymeric Membranes.

Macromolecules·2026
Same author

PTPRJ-Targeting Peptide Agonist Induces Broad Cellular Signaling Perturbations and DNA Damage in Lung Cancer Cells.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

Engineering Lithium-Magnesium Selectivity in Hydrated Polymer Membranes through Polymer Backbone Rigidity.

ACS macro letters·2025
Same author

The Effects of Morphology and Hydration on Anion Transport in Self-Assembled Nanoporous Membranes.

ACS nano·2025
Same author

Application of the Born Model to Describe Salt Partitioning in Hydrated Polymers.

ACS macro letters·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 15, 2026

Proof-of-Concept for Gas-Entrapping Membranes Derived from Water-Loving SiO2/Si/SiO2 Wafers for Green Desalination
09:39

Proof-of-Concept for Gas-Entrapping Membranes Derived from Water-Loving SiO2/Si/SiO2 Wafers for Green Desalination

Published on: March 1, 2020

7.8K

Engineering the Water/Salt Sorption Selectivity of Polymers for Desalination Applications.

Sean M Bannon1, Rachel L Fetter1, Natasha E D'Cunha1

  • 1Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Virginia, 385 McCormick Road, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903, United States.

ACS Macro Letters
|October 11, 2025
PubMed
Summary

Researchers developed two polymer engineering strategies to enhance water/salt sorption selectivity for improved desalination membranes. Modifying polymer structure effectively suppresses salt uptake, increasing water absorption efficiency.

More Related Videos

Synthesis of Hydrogels with Antifouling Properties As Membranes for Water Purification
07:32

Synthesis of Hydrogels with Antifouling Properties As Membranes for Water Purification

Published on: April 7, 2017

10.0K
Ion-Exchange Membranes for the Fabrication of Reverse Electrodialysis Device
07:55

Ion-Exchange Membranes for the Fabrication of Reverse Electrodialysis Device

Published on: July 20, 2021

11.7K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 15, 2026

Proof-of-Concept for Gas-Entrapping Membranes Derived from Water-Loving SiO2/Si/SiO2 Wafers for Green Desalination
09:39

Proof-of-Concept for Gas-Entrapping Membranes Derived from Water-Loving SiO2/Si/SiO2 Wafers for Green Desalination

Published on: March 1, 2020

7.8K
Synthesis of Hydrogels with Antifouling Properties As Membranes for Water Purification
07:32

Synthesis of Hydrogels with Antifouling Properties As Membranes for Water Purification

Published on: April 7, 2017

10.0K
Ion-Exchange Membranes for the Fabrication of Reverse Electrodialysis Device
07:55

Ion-Exchange Membranes for the Fabrication of Reverse Electrodialysis Device

Published on: July 20, 2021

11.7K

Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Chemical Engineering

Background:

  • Developing efficient desalination membranes is crucial for addressing global water scarcity.
  • Polymer-based materials offer tunable properties for membrane applications.
  • Controlling water and salt sorption in polymers is key to membrane performance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate two synthetic strategies for enhancing water/salt sorption selectivity in polymers.
  • To understand the structure-property relationships governing selective sorption in functionalized polymers.
  • To inform the design of advanced materials for desalination.

Main Methods:

  • Synthesized methacrylate-based polymers with varying polar functional groups (hydroxyethyl vs. hydroxypropyl side chains).
  • Engineered polymer networks with different cross-linking densities using dimethacrylate-based monomers.
  • Characterized dielectric properties and sorption behavior of hydrated polymer networks.

Main Results:

  • Polymers with shorter hydroxyethyl side chains exhibited lower dielectric constants, suppressing salt sorption and enhancing water/salt selectivity.
  • Increased cross-linking density in dimethacrylate-based polymers (XLPEGDMA) reduced network mesh size, further suppressing salt sorption.
  • Both strategies demonstrated a clear correlation between polymer structure and improved water/salt sorption selectivity.

Conclusions:

  • Tethering specific polar functional groups and controlling cross-linking density are effective strategies for tuning polymer sorption selectivity.
  • These findings provide valuable insights for designing next-generation desalination membranes with enhanced performance.
  • The study highlights the importance of molecular-level design in creating advanced functional materials.