The RAMP lab operates across an integrated pipeline—from materials synthesis through surface engineering, membrane fabrication, and adaptive/reactive function—enabling the targeted applications explored in our four research pillars below.

Research Directions

a) Reactive Membranes for Carbon Capture and Conversion

Scientific Question
How can membrane interfaces integrate selective CO₂ capture and catalytic conversion while avoiding the energy-intensive regeneration required in conventional sequential processes?

Our Approach
We engineer nanozyme-functionalized membranes that co-locate CO₂ sorption and conversion within a single platform. By mimicking the spatial organization of enzymatic active sites, these membranes enable selective carbon utilization under mild operating conditions.

Applications
Formate and syngas production • Gas-phase membrane reactors • Electrochemical CO₂ reduction • Modular process intensification

b) Adaptive Membranes for Dynamic and Selective Separations

Scientific Question
How can membrane transport and selectivity be dynamically controlled by external stimuli such as redox state, electric field, or chemical environment?

Our Approach
We design stimuli-responsive membranes that reversibly tune pore chemistry, molecular interactions, and transport properties in real time. These adaptive systems respond to changing process conditions rather than operating at a single fixed separation state.

Applications
Smart CO₂, H₂, and hydrocarbon separations • Electrically tunable ion transport • Critical resource recovery • Adaptive membrane reactors

c) Reactive Membrane Platforms for Bioseparation and Antifouling

Scientific Question
How can membrane surfaces actively degrade foulants and process impurities during separation, transforming passive filtration barriers into reactive interfaces?

Our Approach
We develop catalytic and nanozyme-functionalized membranes that degrade contaminants directly at the membrane surface. This approach improves selectivity, limits fouling, and enhances the operational stability of biological and aqueous separation processes.

Applications
Biopharmaceutical purification • Monoclonal antibody processing • Self-cleaning antifouling membranes • Sustainable water purification

d) Electroactive Membranes for Critical Mineral Recovery

Scientific Question
How can membrane interfaces combine selective ion transport with electrochemical conversion to recover critical minerals from dilute industrial streams?

Our Approach
We engineer electroactive membrane platforms that integrate ion-selective transport with localized electrochemical reduction. These systems enable direct recovery of target metals under mild conditions while reducing the chemical and energy demands of conventional extraction processes.

Applications
Gallium recovery from industrial waste streams • Rare-earth and critical-metal extraction • Electrochemical membrane reactors • Circular resource recovery

Foundational Research

These earlier projects in polymer membrane design and materials engineering laid the groundwork for our current reactive and adaptive membrane platforms above.

Block Copolymers

We are developing membranes from molecularly defined copolymers, aiming to understand how polymer microstructure influences physicochemical and gas transport properties. A major area of interest is polyurethane-based membranes, where we examine how segmental composition and morphology affect gas permeability and selectivity. These insights support the rational design of high-performance membranes for advanced gas separation applications.

Microporous Polymers

We develop microporous polyimides using spirobisindane-based diamines and functional Tröger’s base (TB) units to achieve high gas separation performance. By tuning inter- and intra-chain interactions—such as incorporating carboxylic acid groups—we control microporosity, enhance selectivity, and improve resistance to plasticization under high-pressure gas feeds.

Mixed Matrix Membranes

We develop mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) that combine polymer processability with the molecular sieving ability of microporous fillers like MOFs and POSS. By nanosizing and amine-functionalizing Zr-MOF and POSS additives in a PIM-1 matrix, we achieve not only enhanced permeability but also unconventional selectivity improvements.

MOF Membranes

We synthesize Zr-MOF membranes with tailored ligand chemistry using in situ solvothermal and coordination modulation methods. Bulkier linkers create narrower pore apertures, enabling molecular sieving and high selectivity for hydrogen. Molecular simulations confirm that added benzene rings restrict larger gas molecules while allowing hydrogen to diffuse efficiently.

Nanozyme-enabled Membranes

We develop bio-inspired gas separation membranes by mimicking carbonic anhydrase (CA) enzymes, which efficiently convert CO₂ to bicarbonate. Using histidine-based bolaamphiphiles coordinated with zinc, we create nanoparticles that exhibit high CO₂ affinity and catalytic activity. These nanoparticles are uniformly dispersed in polymer matrices to enhance CO₂ solubility and catalyze reversible CO₂ hydration under humid conditions. The resulting membranes show exceptional CO₂ permeability and selectivity, combined with durable performance, offering a novel approach for efficient and stable CO₂ capture.

Nanolaminate Membranes

Graphene oxide (GO) and MXene-based membranes are promising materials for separation applications. Their 2D-layered structure permits the development of high-performance thin-film composite membranes at low filler contents.

We use nanodiamonds as fillers to improve membrane morphology and separation performance. Nanofiltration membranes made via ND-mediated interfacial polymerization show significantly higher water flux. In laminate membranes, incorporating positively charged nanodiamonds into graphene oxide nanolaminates enhances humidity resistance for hydrogen separation.

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